


Escape

by DarkJediQueen



Category: Halo, Stargate - All Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-04-26
Packaged: 2018-01-16 06:24:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1335352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/pseuds/DarkJediQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Destiny crew finds that their destiny is larger than they ever thought. They get to save two galaxies and a Hero who saves the entire human race across time two times. Only they have to make it to the future in time to save it before they can save themselves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> This has sat on my hard drive for several years and I keep looking at it and tweaking it but I never get the courage to post it. That changes now. I don't even have the plot for part two worked out but I hope that getting this up and posting it will force me to work on plotting. Series abandoned in 2017. Enjoy the story as is.
> 
> I've tried to mix the fandoms as much as possible and make it understandable. Goes AU from SGU right after 1.12 Divided. Goes AU from Halo right after Halo 3 ending credits. I've had to make up a few Ancient words, I've taken Latin and modified them.

Excerpt from the Journal of Doctor Daniel Jackson, Presumed Dead in 2011  
Can we ever really be surprised by what the Ancients have done and refuse to do? We are on the brink of war with an enemy that eats us. There is no worse thing for humans. We are the top of the food chain on our planet. Even as we prepare for war, we are thinking ahead to what is coming after the war is over. What do we do? There are those who want to bury our heads in the sand and get rid of the Stargates and never travel the universe like that again. They are the ones winning this argument. They want to give up on life because it is hard. That is how the Wraith won against the Ancients all those years ago. The Ancients gave up. Just like humanity. I won't let them doom the planet I call home. I will fight till I die and that may be closer than I think it is.

"Who are we sending?” Colonel John Sheppard asked as he looked around the table in the briefing room in the SGC. Atlantis had been back on Earth for almost eight months. Sitting around the table were Doctor Rodney McKay, Doctor Daniel Jackson, Doctor Carson Beckett, Doctor Jennifer Keller, Brigadier General Jack O'Neill, General Hank Landry, Doctor Samantha Carter, Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell, and Richard Woolsey. “We only have enough power to send five people with limited supplies through. I vote for at least one of them to be a physician.”

“That is a wise choice. I would also send someone to take over for Young. He wanted out before this started and there seems to be some sort of problem on that ship,” Daniel said with a frown. Several heads nodded agreement but there was one that was still. There was one that was always still when it came to suggestions of his. 

“I would also like to go. We can't send Sam because she is pregnant, so I am the next logical choice. Rush is so far out of his depth that it is scary,” Rodney quickly said. He looked briefly around the room at the others but focused on trying to act like he wasn't staring at Sam when he really was.

“Why can we only send five again?” Woolsey asked with a giant frown on his face. Rodney snorted and tried to cover it up. Woolsey was a lot better than he had been but he still didn’t get a lot of things. Science sometimes went so far over his head he couldn't see. 

“Five people are all that can fit across the length of the gate at one time. We only have the power to open the gate for ten seconds. That is only enough time for one wave of people to go through, safely. We did simulations about sending two sets, the other right on the heels of the first but over ninety percent of the time, someone fell and the ‘gate shut down. Hence, five people.” Sam smiled at Rodney as she gave the answer. Rodney acted like it got a rise out of him. When she looked away, Rodney looked at Daniel who gave a small nod. 

“More couldn't go through?” Woolsey looked at the scientists like they were failing since they couldn’t get more people through. 

“Woolsey, we also have to think about the strain of the people we send through. More will be more food, more air, more everything. Five packs filled with seeds for food and other things that are needed. One pack will be filled with medicines and other medical supplies, one with two Naquadah reactors, one with food, another with ammo for the guns they have, and the last pack with some of the things needed to keep the air clean on the ship.”

“So we have McKay going. Who is going to be the doctor?” Jack asked.

“I think they should take a few of the LSD's as well. Zats. Zats would be good on the mission,” Daniel blurted out. Everyone turned to look at him. “We have never had one break under normal circumstances. The energy source in them doesn't run out and they don't jam. We have a lot of scientists on this mission already. I bet they would rather use it.”

“He does have a point,” John agreed as he nodded at Daniel. He turned back to the others. “I want ear pieces as well. I am used to them and I think they would be better for the ship than the radios.”

Jack nodded his agreement to the ear pieces.

“I think Daniel should go,” Sam piped up. Daniel snapped his head over to look at her sharply. Jack coughed and Daniel looked at him. Daniel's eyes grew hard and he looked away quickly. It wasn't going to ever change. Daniel made up his mind. He had been on the fence for a while but he had to go now. He had to start his life over. That wasn’t an option here on Earth. He looked at John and Rodney and nodded at both of them. He was going on the mission, one way or another.

“That would be good. I could use another set of eyes that can read that form of Ancient. I also like the way your mind thinks.”

“Thanks, Rodney. I would like to go. I think that the military commander should be Sheppard. He has dealt with strange Ancient tech before and with situations like what the people on Destiny are going through.” Daniel looked around the table it was all going well. No one suspected anything and that was good. Sam was being run around in circles and wasn't even aware that she was.

“He also knows how to deal with McKay,” Sam stated with a little disdain in her voice.

“So we have McKay, Sheppard, Daniel, and who are we going to send as the doctor?” Jack asked to the rest of the people at the table. He stressed the word doctor so that everyone would get back on track. This meeting had gone on long enough before they had got to the subject of the five being sent to the Destiny. 

“I'd rather not go on another suicide mission,” Carson stated. Jack nodded at him. He understood, he really did. This wasn't even the real Carson, it was a clone that had survived where the real one had died. He could understand wanting to save yourself considering the past he had. 

“I wouldn't mind going,” Jennifer slipped in making it sound off hand. She turned to John and nodded. No one noticed the nonverbal communication going on at the table. Daniel smiled, Jack was playing right into his hands. 

“We have one slot left. I think that we should send some muscle.” Jack looked around the table to all the people.

“You know I had a thought. Keller is rather small. If someone were to carry her through, we could send six.” Rodney stood up and moved to look at the gate through the window. 

“Carry me?” Jennifer asked, she sounded shock and just a little scared. 

“Yes, Ronon. I'm sure that he wouldn't mind going on the mission. He thinks that he has to protect John and me. He could carry the pack with ammo and Jennifer with her pack of medicines easy for that few seconds through the gate." Rodney paused long enough for that to sink in and then he started speaking again. "I want Zelenka to go. He could carry diagnostic equipment that I could use.”

“Doctor Keller?” Jack asked.

“I think that could work. Ronon can carry a good bit.” 

“So that's one pack of food, one pack of ammo, one pack of medical supplies, one pack with reactors, one pack with air supplies, and one pack with diagnostic equipment for the technology. Sound good?” Jack asked. When everyone nodded Jack continued. “So in the science department we have Doctor McKay, Doctor Zelenka, and Doctor Jackson. We are sending Doctor Keller as the medical officer. Then we have Colonel Sheppard as the military commander and Ronon as a bodyguard. Does everyone agree with that?”

“I think that we should send another member of the IOA.” Woolsey looked Jack hard in the eye as he spoke. Jack looked at the rest of the people in the room. Landry had been quiet through most of the discussion. Jack wasn't really sure why though, unless he saw it as none of his business.

“In place of whom? McKay is needed and with the state of the ship, I would say that Zelenka is needed as well, at least more than another bureaucrat. Keller is needed, as is Sheppard. If Ronon doesn't go then we can only take five. The ship has culture and history and Doctor Jackson is needed for that as well as reading what the ship is saying. We have to know why this ship is doing and what it is doing.”

“I really think that another member of the IOA should go. Doctor Jackson is not mission essential.”

“I don't think so,” Landry said. He looked Woolsey in the eye and gave him a hard stare. Woolsey sat back in his chair. He was bowing down for the moment. 

Daniel sighed in relief. He didn’t want another bureaucrat on the ship to mess up the plans. Landry had played well into his hands and didn't even have to be asked to do so. Daniel knew the people around him well. The only one he couldn’t predict was Sam, except that she wanted Daniel gone. 

“I think this meeting is good. Pack a few things that you want to take. We are wheels up in twenty-four hours. Sheppard please ask Ronon if he wants to go. I also want you to oversee the packing. You are allowed to take a dozen LSD's and two dozen Zats. Pack as much as you can. I am going to make a small ramp on each side of the ramp on the gate. The side rails will be pulled off and you will wait there. The second the flush back settles you will take off running. Anything else?”

No one said anything and Jack stood up and motioned at Landry to follow. Once Jack was out of the room, everyone scattered but didn't make it look like they were trying to escape. 

xXxXxXx

Daniel was in his office packing his bags with the few things he wanted to take. There wasn't much left of his life that he cared to take with him. Everything he really wanted to take was either in a book already packed or on his computer. His collection of music on an external hard-drive and his MP3 player were the only real things he was taking. 

“Jackson,” Ronon said from behind him. Daniel turned around and looked at him. Ronon had come to him not long after arriving on Earth, wanting to talk. They had been friends since that day. John and Rodney had been slightly relieved because it meant that they didn’t have to teach him the quirks of truly living on Earth. It had given Daniel something to do and someone to hang with, since he no longer hung out with Jack anymore. “Do you still intend to go through with the plan?”

“Yes.” Daniel looked around and smiled when Ronon held up a device. He sighed and let himself relax. Ronon pulled the door shut. 

“And they believe they are the ones who decided on the people going?” 

“Yes.” Daniel smiled inwardly at what it had taken to convince Jack of the entire plan, it hadn’t taken a lot. Sam had wanted to use it as a way to get rid of Daniel and she had pushed for completion. 

“I've been to McKay and Zelenka. I don't really have anything to take with me other than my gun, clothes, and the Kindle that you got me a few months ago. You need me to take anything?”

“No. I am good. Most of my stuff is on the computer I am taking and the tablet PC. I do have a couple of hard-drives that I need to take but I am under my limit as well. I was going to take clothes and some DVDs that I haven't been able get digital copies of. I think those will be a big hit. I also snagged a few Kindles for reading that I loaded with as many books as I could.”

“What aren't you telling us?” Ronon’s voice was odd. He wasn’t demanding but curious. 

Daniel looked away from Ronon and bowed his head. Ronon took a step closer. Daniel sighed and looked back up.

“I have things I can't tell you. There are things that I don’t understand yet. Then there are things that I can’t tell for fear of what that would cause. It changes so much.”

“I would follow Sheppard anywhere. I just need one promise from you before I agree to go to this new place and fight an enemy that I don't know. When we are done, when we come home, will we have what we need to fight the Wraith?”

“Yes.”

“Just ‘yes’?”

“We will come back. We will bring back what we need to fight the Wraith. We will win against them. I do know this, Ronon. We are going to come across an enemy that will make the Wraith look nice. They are ancient and they are evil in a way that the Wraith could never be. They feed with no cause for anything. They kill with no thought of remorse. I still don't have a clue how I know this. It's all so confusing.” Daniel hated lying to him and the others but it was important for the time being. He just hoped that they would all understand in time. Ronon would be the worst. There was so much in his head but there were so many warnings though. The timelines that had to be correct for all of this to work had to be perfect. Things that had to be done in perfect order.

“So do the Wraith.”

“Not this way. They kill for no reason. They don't need to eat like they do. They glut themselves and have no stopping point. They want all of the races in the galaxy to be like them.”

“I will follow you anywhere. If I had the cause to.” Ronon’s voice was soft and it cut through Daniel like a knife. He wasn’t ready for that. He wasn’t sure he was going to ever be ready for that. 

“Ronon, please I have too much to do.” He knew what Ronon was hinting at but he couldn’t do that right now. His focus couldn’t be split, not at that time. He didn't know when he could be what Ronon wanted him to be. What Ronon thought that he could be.

Ronon nodded and backed out of the room. Daniel looked around the office he had been using for over ten years. It wasn't his life anymore. At one point in time, this was all he wanted. The Stargate Program had been the whole of his future. That had changed and he didn’t know if he could have ever stopped it. He had lost all his friends that he had made over those ten years. Only the friends he had made in the past year had stuck by him. The Stargate Program had given him everything in life and then taken it away again when it felt the need.

Sam saw him as something that was in the way of getting what she wanted. She wanted Jack's love and she thought that as long as Daniel was in the picture she would not get it. She started a year and a half before on making Jack not seek Daniel out any more. Sam retired from her commission and rejoined the SGC as a civilian. She wormed her way into the part of Jack's life that used to be his.

Sam became pregnant and Jack had been ecstatic. Daniel had shown up to give them his congratulation gift; Sam had answered the door with a smirk. She said things to him and he was sure he would never hear her say. When Daniel tried to talk to Jack about it, Jack just said that he must have misheard her. Jack did that a lot with everything about Sam. 

Daniel couldn't get through to him. No one could. That was part of the reason Daniel wanted to get away from it all. Daniel finished his sweep of the office. Just as his eyes rested on the doorway, writing drew his attention on the wall outside the door. Daniel took a step forward and tried to read the writing. As his feet connected with the floor one step in front of him, the whole world spun. He was somewhere different.

Daniel looked around his new surroundings. He was in Jack's house. Jack was sitting on his couch and Daniel was prowling around the living room. Jack was relaxed but Daniel wasn't. Daniel knew that it was a memory. Daniel knew the exact memory it was, as well. It was just after Daniel had descended when RepliCarter had killed him.

“Jack, I've seen things you wouldn't believe. I can't even describe most of them. Aliens, new ones. Not the Wraith, newer ones. I don't know when they will come but they come. I've seen them bombard Earth from above.”

“Daniel, just calm down. We don't know if they will even come. This could just be the Ancients fucking with you. You know that’s how they get their kicks.”

“I've seen our friendship end. I've seen a time when I am not in your life anymore.” Daniel’s voice was full of pleading and Jack just waved it off. Jack always did that. Sam had called him needy and Daniel was sure that at some points he was.

“See, that will never happen. You are my best friend.” Jack gave the other Daniel his big grin. 

“Why didn't you tell me about Kerry?” 

“Kerry?” Jack's face showed that he was sure that he knew who the other Daniel was talking about but that he didn't want to. The other Daniel pressed the issue. 

“Kerry Johnson. CIA. Your little bed buddy. Oma showed me that.”

“Her. I guess it hasn't come up. How's Carter doing?” 

Daniel took a step forward. He wanted to capture this moment in his memory forever. It was the last time that Jack and he had ever really hung out. Those days were gone and the ache was still there in his chest. Daniel almost made it to Jack and he was jerked away. 

Daniel was back in his office. The word was still on the wall. Inundare. Daniel blinked and the word was gone. Daniel knew what the word meant. Flood. He just wasn't sure what it meant to him. He hadn't been sure of much since the defeat of the Ori. Images rushed back to him during the fight with Adria. Images of a future that he knew was fast approaching. It was a future that he was sure he was starting by going on the mission but he saw no other choice. The other future was not any better. Most of the time it was worse, futures where almost no humans survive at all in the galaxy. Where the Wraith live and feed and breed. Staying on Earth meant losing Earth to the Wraith and having only a slim chance to get it back. Going on this mission meant a much greater chance of saving Earth from the Wraith.

xXxXxXx

Jack watched as the science crew prepped the 'gate room for the traveling that was about to happen. It had been twenty-four hours since the meeting. Everyone was prepped for departure. Ronon had said his goodbyes to the few people that he cared about that were not going with him. Daniel hadn't said goodbye to anyone except Teal'c. Rodney, John, Radek, and Jennifer all said goodbye to those who had been on the Atlantis mission with them. All in all it was easy. 

Rodney was ruling over the people prepping the reactors with an iron fist. Jack swore that if Rodney could, he would make them ask for permission to take each breath. Jack laughed as people who had never dealt with Rodney got the brunt of his personality with nowhere to escape.

Finally, everything was ready, half the packs sitting at the base of the ramp to be put on when they were ready to start dialing. Ronon and Jennifer were in the 'gate room. John and Radek were packing the last of the things that were needed. Ammo and machines were packed and getting the last check. Daniel was sitting in the control room, talking with Walter and making sure that the address was correct.

“Let's go!” Rodney yelled from the control room. Daniel stood up from the chair he was sitting in and picked up his pack. John and Radek entered the 'gate room with their packs ready on their backs. Daniel joined them and they stepped up to the ramp.

Everyone except Ronon turned and looked around the 'gate room for the last time. Daniel smiled at Walter and Siler, who were standing side by side in the control room looking down at them. Ronon picked up Jennifer and her pack while the rest of them stepped to their waiting areas. They were safe from the backwash of the 'gate and would wait for it to settle before they took their three steps to an unknown galaxy billions of light years away.

xXxXxXx

Jack sat down at his desk and wondered what he should do with the rest of the day. He only had an hour before he had to take off for a doctor’s appointment with Sam. Jack had just picked up a pen when his computer beeped six times. Jack looked at his email program. There were six new emails waiting on him. Jack looked at the senders. There were one from each Daniel, John, Rodney, Radek, Jennifer, and Ronon. Jack wasn't sure when Ronon had got an email address but there was one.

Jack opened each email. Inside were letters. Each letter spelled out what was going to happen to each person’s estate and holdings if they never returned. Jack's eyes widen in shock. Things like this were not made in twenty-four hours. This took time. Weeks, by the looks of Rodney’s and Daniel's emails. Each email contained a will for each of the members. There were living wills and many other things. Ronon's just spelled out what to tell those who he knew in the Pegasus galaxy. To create a monument on Sateda for him.

Jack sat back in his chair and thought about it. They each knew. Somehow they knew that they were going on the mission. They knew before anyone else. Daniel, John, Rodney, Ronon, Radek, and Jennifer knew that they were going to be picked for the mission. Those six had only been picked twenty-four hours before. Hell, twenty-four hours ago Jack swore that only five would be able to go.

Jack wanted to know how they knew. He knew that Daniel was the reason but how did Daniel know? Jack closed his eyes and thought back to everything Daniel had said and done in the months leading up to the mission. Jack couldn't remember anything out of the ordinary. Daniel did his missions with SG-1 as he had always done and any other team that requested him. He drew more reserved at the briefings. That Jack had noticed. Vala didn't really bother him in the way that she used to. Even Mitchell didn't get under his skin. Daniel had accepted his life as an outcast at the SGC. Jack couldn't remember anyone that he had seen Daniel talk to at the SGC. From Jack's point of view, Daniel didn't have any friends outside or inside the SGC. Jack felt his heart break a little at that thought. At one point, Jack would have been mad but now…he missed the friend that he didn’t even know he had lost. 

Jack was interrupted by a knock on his door. Sam entered a few seconds later.

“Hey, Jack.”

“Sam, what can I do for you?”

“I wanted to pass along a message from security. They went by Rodney's, Sheppard's, Radek's, and Jennifer's to close them up until they returned. The places were empty. There was nothing in the apartments or houses at all. They spoke with the landlords. The places were paid up through today. Each had a forwarding post office box. It's the same one. It's Rodney's box that he gets all of his mail at in Canada. When I called to get information on it, I found out that mail that arrives there is to be sent to Jeannie McKay-Miller every week. Daniel’s house is still in his name but it has been closed up. Rodney’s place has been sold though.”

“I don't know how Daniel knew but he did know. I just got all their legal paper work. Sam, this took weeks to prep.”

“Jack, I told you that Daniel was going nuts.” Jack stopped and looked at her. He would have never called Daniel nuts. The Sam from years ago would have never called him nuts. Every single member of SG1 had been changed and he wasn’t sure it was for the better.

“Sam, Daniel knowing about this does not mean he is nuts. Who knows, maybe the Ancients told him. In three hours, I am going to use the stones to go to the ship to talk to them. I’m going to find out why.”

“I should go with you.”

“Sam, Daniel will not talk with you around. He thinks that you hate him.” Jack hadn’t seen it until then and now he felt bad for all the things that he had allowed Sam to get away with. Daniel hadn’t said anything at first but now Jack could see it. Sam had been worried about Daniel in his life. The only reason she would have had to be worried was if she hadn’t truly loved him. 

“Jack...”

“No. I am going alone.” Jack waved her out of the office. Sam turned around in a huff and slipped out of the room. Jack turned around and looked at the computer one more time. Jack nearly fell out of his chair when it beeped. Another email from Daniel.

Jack, 

This is going to have to serve as my goodbye. I fear coming to you because every time that I do, Sam is around. I know that you love her but I am afraid for you. She is controlling and you can't or won't see it. She isn't happy sharing your life with me. She wants all of you and she has got it. Don't worry; I got with friends on this wonderful new mission. This mission will be everything that I have wanted for years. After you get this email you will be getting six more or they could have come first. This time it is our resignations from the SGC. I know that technically, Ronon doesn't work for the SGC but he did work on Atlantis and sort of have a job with the IOA. We are sorry that it had to come to this. I am sure that you will come to the ship to talk to us. We await you.

Daniel Jackson

PS I miss the friendship that we used to have.

Two Hours Prior  
Destiny stopped on her journey for a brief few hours. First Lieutenant Matthew Scott watched as a small ship floated around outside. He wondered if there was anything on the ship that they could salvage. He found Doctor Nicholas Rush and found a way to bring the ship into the Destiny. It was put into a very small hanger bay and forgotten about when a wormhole connected and six people from Earth stepped through.


	2. We Have a Greater Mission

When the wormhole connected, the whole ship was on edge. The crew of the Destiny had dealt with aliens taking Chloe and finding Rush on their ship as well. Military was in the 'gate room in a few seconds and had their guns trained on the 'gate. Ronon was the first through with Jennifer. They were unknowns and they stopped just a few feet in. Two seconds later, Daniel, John, Rodney, and Radek came through. Everyone waited for more to come through, but none did. One second after they materialized, the wormhole shut down. 

“Hold your fire!” Rush yelled, recognizing Rodney first.

“Doctor Jackson, I am sure that you have a reason for scaring us like you did?” Young asked with a smile. He moved quickly up the ramp and hugged Daniel. He shook hands with the other people, just to show his crew there was no fear. Daniel watched him the entire time. He was stressed. Young smiled but it didn’t go to his eyes.

“Well, that can be discussed later. Right now we have supplies in our packs and a doctor with us. This is Doctor Jennifer Keller, Doctor Rodney McKay, Doctor Radek Zelenka, Colonel John Sheppard, and Ronon Dex. I am Doctor Daniel Jackson and we have much to discuss with all of you. Is this a good time to have a meeting with everyone?” Daniel looked around and watched faces as the names sunk in. He wanted everyone on the ship to know who had arrived before they got to the mess. Incorrect information would be damaging. It was why he gave the names now instead of then. Not a one of them would be expecting what was coming. 

“Yes, Doctor Jackson, it is.” Young motioned for them to walk in front of him. Others came up and took their packs. Daniel gave them one of ones he was holding. He still had two others on him. His personal pack filled with his things and one for a very special someone. He didn’t hand them over. “What do you have?”

“One pack of medical supplies, one of ammo plus other things, one of Naquadah reactors, one of things to keep the air going, one pack of food supplies. Ronon ended up carrying Jennifer, her packs, and two of his own so we were able to get some LSD's from Atlantis along with two dozen Zats. I also brought DVDs in my pack and some clothes.” Daniel pointed at the one taken from him. 

“You brought all this? How did you make it up the ramp?” Rush asked as he looked at the packs. 

“We really didn't have to. Jack made us a side ramp. It was three steps and we were through.” Daniel caught up with Young for a second and leaned close. “Young, you may like me now but you won't like me in about an hour.”

“What do you mean? I've watched you at the SGC. You were miserable. I figured if you could make it away from there you would. Scott and Greer should have everyone in the mess in about ten minutes.” Young still smiled at him.

“Good. T.J.?” Daniel called out. Young stepped aside and T.J. replaced him. Daniel stopped moving and let the flood of people wash over them until they were alone. T.J. stayed with him. He was sure that she was intrigued at why he had singled her out. He pulled the small sack of things off his shoulder and handed them to her. She opened it and looked at him in shock. “Don't ask. I made sure you have enough prenatal medicines and other things. I also packed some cloth diapers and baby medicines. There is also a few pair of sweats for you. Jennifer brought a portable ultrasound machine. When we are done here you and she can check on the baby.”

“Has she ever delivered a baby?”

“No, she hasn't, but I have. Delivered quite a few in my run with SG-1. Only one was ever named after me but it was a joke for a while that I should go back to school so I could get paid for it.” T.J. laughed despite her shock. 

“Doctor Jackson. I wanted to say thank you for this and for what you tried to do for me before.” T.J. looked away after she said it. Daniel touched her shoulder and she looked back at him. 

“T.J. it was no trouble then and it is no trouble now. We need to get going. This will come as a shock to everyone.”

Daniel looked around the mess hall. Everyone but those who came with him was sitting down. Ronon was eying everyone while Rodney and Radek looked at a laptop with information. It wasn’t one of the ones that they had brought with them so it had to be one of the ones from the ship. Jennifer and John were just standing around, looking at everyone. Jennifer was looking for things medical and John was people watching. Seeing their interactions. 

“First off, thank you all for coming to listen to me. I know that most of you know who I am but have never met me. I am Daniel Jackson. With me are several others whose names you should know and some who you won't. Doctor Jennifer Keller is here to take care of you. She is a doctor and will be talking with T.J. and taking over the infirmary going forward. Doctors Rodney McKay and Radek Zelenka are here to make this ship run. Colonel John Sheppard and civilian Ronon Dex are here to make sure you don't kill yourselves and everyone else with stupid things. The reason you all did not know we were coming was twofold. One in case us getting here failed you didn't lose hope and two Telford was a spy for the Lucian Alliance. He was brainwashed. I am sure that within the next few months they will invade this ship and there is nothing we can do to stop it.”

Daniel stopped and let that sink in. Everyone had his or her eyes focused on him. They had to be worried if not scared now. That’s the way that he wanted it. 

“We come with much needed supplies. We also come with new command. Colonel Sheppard will be taking over. Young will be his second in command so don't think you don't have to do what he says. Young has done a wonderful job out here and is to be respected for what he has done. If not for him every single one of you would be dead. I mean that. In two and a half hours General O'Neill will be coming aboard the ship by stone. He will answer any questions you might have at that time. I know that this is all very sudden and I am sure there would have been better ways to tell you all this but we figured that it was better done like a band-aid, quick.”

“Excuse me?” someone from the crowd asked. Daniel turned to look at him. “Who put you in charge?”

“Actually, I am not in charge. That is the President of the United States. Most of these orders are coming from him. I am the messenger. The President figured that the words would come better from a civilian. While some of you are of other nationality, the SGC is under control of the President in times of crisis. This whole mission is a crisis. I understand that some of you don't see it this way but in your contracts with the SGC you signed that you would bow to the military in combat situations. That's what this is, people. This is one giant combat situation. It took me a long time to learn it, but I have. Sometimes it is best to do what they say. We have to have one clear leader. We can't discuss everything in a committee.”

“You can't just come in here and tell us what to do,” Wray said from her seat as she stood up. Daniel smiled at her. He was ready for this. He felt sometimes like he had been born ready for this. 

“Actually, I can. I know that you all do not like being here but we have been given a mission. The President thought that the civilians would accept this better from me. Before we can start on this mission, though, we have to get the Destiny up to shape. That will take two months. Two months and we leave this set of galaxies for another set where we are going to fight and win against an enemy that is as ancient as the stars. We will defeat them and we will go home.”

“How do you know this?” Eli asked. Daniel looked at the faces looking up at him. He was sure that his reputation had preceded him and some thought he was nuts. Others would believe every word he said because of all that had happened to him. Still the next month was going to be hard. There would be a lot of people questioning him and his methods but it wouldn’t take long.

“I know that some of you joke about me dying a lot but this last time when I was killed by a Replicator. I saw flashes of a future. I don't know who gave them to me but I must assume it was an Ancient who did not want to see our race killed off. We will start, like I said, by fixing the Destiny, which will take two months. Then we will set off to find a place to safely upgrade certain parts of the ship. The ship will get a total makeover with the help of an Asgard ship left at a secure location. From there we travel again to save one man stranded on a ship and help them. We go home after that. If you want to leave you can. I know the location of a ship that has all the food you need to get home. It is seventeen 'gate jumps from where it is. From there it is a year of travel to get home.”

“A year?” Scott asked. He looked at Daniel in shock. “Why couldn't you have told us about this ship before now?”

“It’s a stranded Asgard ship and they keyed it so that only the genetic markers of a full-blooded Ancient can open its doors. Did you bring a full-blooded Ancient with you when you fled Icarus Base? No. Has a full-blooded Ancient joined you on this before now? No.” 

“We don't have one now,” Rush stated. He looked at Daniel like he was crazy. Daniel knew that look and he was sure he was going to see it a lot after this moment from the rest of the crew.

“Yes, we do,” Rodney laughed as he moved over towards Daniel. “None of you ever wondered about why Daniel attracted such looks from the Ancients. Daniel was changed when he ascended the first time. When he ascended the second time he came back a full-blooded Ancient.” 

“This is too much to take in,” Scott said. He looked around. Everyone else's faces said the same thing. It was too much too quick but Scott understood why. Getting everything out in the open quickly was the best thing. Letting things come out in snippets, especially on this ship, was going to make things worse.

“Don't worry. You have two months before we can even think of letting anyone leave. The 'gate system where the ship is located is a self-contained set of 'gates, you have get to the planet before you can 'gate anywhere in the system. All military is to stay here and all scientists are to follow Rodney. He is now in charge of you. For those who wish to see them. I have the paper orders from the President in my pack and you can find me later and look at them.”

Daniel turned to look at Ronon and Jennifer. Ronon stepped up to stand beside Daniel. Ronon would be sticking to him like glue. He figured on that. 

“I don't think you should be alone, Jackson.” Ronon spoke to Daniel but didn’t look at him; instead he was looking at the crowd. 

“I will be fine.” Daniel waved him off and took a step. Ronon grabbed his arm and made Daniel look at him.

“You are not a much loved person at this point in time. I understand why you did it and so does Sheppard but it doesn’t mean you are safe.”

“Jennifer, T.J. is waiting on you. I'll go with you. Ronon, are you going to come?” Daniel pointedly looked at Ronon’s hand on his arm as he talked.

“Sure.” Ronon let go and followed Daniel and Jennifer.

They made their way through the ship to the makeshift hospital wing. T.J. was waiting there on them. She was looking at the equipment that had been brought through and had set it all out.

“T.J., I'm Doctor Jennifer Keller. You can call my Jennifer. I am pleased with how you have been handling things. You are doing very well with your limited supplies and knowledge.” 

“Thanks.”

Jennifer spent over an hour going over T.J., checking everything. When she was done she spent a while talking to T.J. in private. After that she moved over to where Daniel was.

“She's doing well. The vitamins should help with any problems she has. We need to keep fresh food on hand.”

“We have a just a few days of hyperspace travel and we will be at a planet that has all we need.”

“You know, if I hadn't read all your mission reports you would be scaring me right now.” Jennifer laughed but she wasn’t scared. She had seen too much to be scared of Daniel. Daniel would only be scary to those who were in the way of his plans, and she wasn’t one of them. 

“I am sure.” Daniel turned to look Ronon who was still eying people. Daniel laughed at him. Ronon had decided that Daniel needed protection. He was sure that Teal'c had said something to him. Teal’c was the only protection that Daniel had at the SGC and he wasn’t on Earth all the time anymore. 

xXxXxXx

John looked at the report that Rodney had made for him. It comprised of everything they had currently had on the ship, including the new supplies. They were good with most things. They had enough supplies to keep the air going for a great while. The food was a problem. They weren't doing well before they got there and they now had six more people and a woman with child. John trusted Rodney, Ronon, Jennifer, and Zelenka but Jackson was still an unknown to him. Rodney trusted him fully though and Ronon seemed to have taken to him real quick, which was surprising. The Satedan was not quick to trust and he had trusted Jackson too quick for John’s liking. He and Ronon had a warrior bond thing and Jackson didn’t have that with the Satedan. There was something going on and John wasn’t sure he liked it. 

John looked around what was now his and Rodney's room/office. There was limited space that was available and for the time being until the crew calmed down, John didn't want them sleeping alone. Jennifer was bunking with T.J.. Air mattresses had been set up for Radek, Ronon, and Daniel in a large room across the hall. John trusted that Daniel would get them home but he didn't know how. A knock at his door disturbed him from his thinking.

“Enter.” John looked up from his report to see Wray enter the room. She shut the door behind herself.

“Colonel. I am surprised at you. You were on Atlantis. I think you would understand about needing a civilian in charge.”

“You are not Elizabeth Weir or Richard Woolsey. You don't have the skills to lead this group. Hell, from what I have read out of the mountain, this ship would be destroyed in a day with you running it.” 

“What about Doctor Jackson?” Wray smirked at him like she had one upped him. John knew that Jackson didn’t want it. He had acted like he wanted to be in charge when he had spoken to the crew before but John knew he didn’t. There were things that scared Jackson about being in control. Rodney had told him something about power and corrupting. 

“He didn't want it and Doctor Carter blackballed him. She spouted to the rest of IOA that he had no basis for being a leader. That he didn't have what it took for anything leader like. Do you know what happened? The IOA believed her and General O'Neill didn't do anything. Carter has been downright vicious to him and O'Neill did nothing. She even had the SGC send him on this mission. Daniel Jackson is off limits to you. I don't want to hear of you cornering him. This is his mission to get away from the SGC and get his life back to him.” 

John didn't fully trust him but Rodney did and he could see how Jackson was being treated at the SGC. Rodney wanted to protect him but John figured that Daniel would protect himself in the end. John looked hard at Wray. He didn't know where that came from. Probably from spending too much time with Rodney but it was all true. John had seen how the SGC had treated Daniel. John didn't dismiss her, but just looked down at his tablet and didn't look back up. It took her almost two minutes to walk out the door. When she was gone, John stood up from his seat and set out to find Daniel.

The first place he checked was the room across the hall. Radek was in there setting up his things. Next was the mess. He wasn't there as well but Ronon was and he also had no clue where Daniel was. Now Ronon was with him in searching. Where they found him was not where they would have thought. He was in the makeshift training room sparring with Greer. They were both talking while fighting. John had read Greer’s file and was worried. Greer was a troublemaker and a loose cannon. Jackson shouldn’t be anywhere near him. 

“Been a while, huh, Daniel?” Greer asked with a smile on his face he took a swing at Daniel that was easily blocked. Daniel swung back and feinted, landing a blow hard to Greer’s stomach. John heard the air come out of his mouth. That surprised him. 

“Yea. So did you really go after Telford for the reasons that Young stated?” Daniel let Greer try to hit him. He missed again and Daniel landed another punch to his gut. 

“You know I didn't. What he did to you was unforgivable. The other marines letting it happen, was even more unforgivable. He should have been written up for that but since it was your word against all of them. The footage disappearing was a crock of shit. He’s lucky that’s all I got in before I got pulled off him.”

“You’ve got to control that temper. I will turn you loose against something soon. Wanna take over, Ronon?” Daniel sidestepped a punch from Greer and stepped away while taking his gloves off. Daniel passed them to Ronon. Daniel hadn’t even looked over at them since they walked in. His back had been to them the entire time. “Take it easy on him.”

“What are you doing?” John asked. Daniel laughed at him.

“Checking in on Greer. He was part of the team that I last went out with. We got stuck in a cave for over three days after a cave in. I got to know him very well. He tried to stick up for me after Telford tried to get heavy handed. Telford thought I was an easy target. I showed him when I knocked him on his ass. Nothing came of it because the footage disappeared. The witnesses were split and Jack wanted to just bury it.”

“Come, we have to talk,” John pointed to the corridor that he wanted to go down. He didn't want to go to the office. He wanted to go to the deck where the observation room was. Daniel led the way with an ease that John didn't understand. Daniel acted like he had lived on the ship. Rodney had been studying the specs for the ship for week and he wasn’t this good. John was starting to wonder what this was going to be like. Rodney had told him that what they were going to do he could get a court-martial for but it was so very important to the survival of the human race that John followed him. John would follow Rodney anywhere.

Rodney trusted Daniel and that was rare. Rodney trusted very few people wholly and his trust of the other man even went over what Rodney had of John, Ronon, and Teyla. John didn’t think it had to do with the time they were kidnapped by the evil Asgard. It went after that and before that. It went above that. Daniel Jackson was a mystery and it was one mystery that John was sure he was never going to be able to figure out completely. 

“You creep me out,” John said when they entered the room. He watched Daniel pass his hand over a console and out popped a hand pad, much like the ones on the Ancient chairs. It was a piece of technology that was out of place on this ship that was old compared to the chairs. Daniel put his hand in it and John heard a lock fall in place on the door. It was odd because from what he had read about Destiny, that shouldn't have been possible. There was no mention of hand pads anywhere in the reports. 

“Now no one will bother us. You still don’t fully trust me, do you?”

“Trust you, but I don’t understand you. Rodney and Ronon trust you with their lives. That trust isn’t won easy. I trust you as long as they do and as long as you don't put my men in place to get hurt without reason.”

“I won Rodney’s trust very early in life for both of us.”

“There is nothing in either of your files that tells of you meeting before that time he came in to save Teal’c’s life. I can tell from the way you two act around each other though that your friendship goes back farther than that.”

“Of course it's not in our files. It wasn’t ever mentioned to anyone in the Armed Forces. I thought for a few minutes that Rodney would give it up when he finally arrived that day.”

“How did you meet?”

“He never knew my real name but he knew I was lying about the name I gave him and so when he read about what SG-1’s missions in the reports he never connected that person and me. I still can’t discuss what I was doing at the time but let’s just say that MI-5 had a tight reign over me.”

“OK.”

“You remember that night in my house right?” Daniel asked with a smile.

Flashback  
Daniel entered his house and immediately felt that something was off. There was someone else there. Daniel had started carrying a gun with him at all times. He wasn’t Jack’s favorite anymore and therefore no longer had perfect protection. So he started to carry a gun. He had all the licenses for it and it hadn’t taken long to get certified on it, given where he worked. He hadn’t had to even think about using it until that moment when he knew that someone was in his house.

Daniel looked in his living room; there were no signs of anyone at all. The kitchen and laundry room were the same way. That completed the down stairs. The lock was still on the basement so no one was down there. That left the upstairs; problem was there were two ways to get up and down, one from the kitchen and one from the living room. Daniel looked around the kitchen and found a bottle of canola oil and spread it on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. That way he would know if they came from that way, he then made his way back to the living room and up the stairs slowly.

Daniel slowly completed his check of the second floor. That left the third floor, the attic that he had refurbished into an office. Daniel took the safety off his gun and walked carefully up the stairs. His office door was wide open, which meant that either the person had left in a hurry or was still in the room. Daniel crept up to the door and looked at what he could which was not a lot because most of the office was behind the door.

“We won’t bite!” Rodney called from over in the desk area of the office. Daniel sighed and stepped into the room, switching the safety back on. He didn’t put the gun up, instead he watched Rodney’s eyes widen at the sight of it.

“I told you he would know we were are here,” John said from the chair beside the window on the far side of the room. Daniel knew that he had to be there. Rodney was not far out of John’s sight when they were outside the mountain. In fact, John, Rodney, and Ronon all lived in a house about a mile from the mountain. No one was the wiser, except Daniel, that John and Rodney were in a relationship. The living arrangements were passed through the higher ups that it would be better for Ronon, who hated being cooped up in the mountain.

“Yes, well. I wasn’t expecting a gun. Also, there is no alarm on the house. Why is that?”

“Have you had time to look around, Rodney?” Daniel just smiled at the look on Rodney’s face. Rodney looked all around the room and that was nothing that spoke of Daniel in the office. To a robber, it wouldn’t look out of place. But to someone who knew Daniel, this office lacked everything. There were no priceless artifacts. There were no books on ancient cultures.

“Where is everything?”

“Jack noticed it once, right after I moved in here and before Sam started to control his life. The dimensions of my house do not match up. There is a small area that is visible from the outside but it’s not from the inside. I have an elevator there. Jack thought there might be a dumbwaiter in the house but he never really looked into it.”

“Where does this elevator go?” John asked with a small smile. He still wasn’t sure this scientist wasn’t nuts.

“To a secret room in the basement. The person who owned this house about thirty years ago was working on some side projects. His intellectual pursuits were the property of a company. This was how he worked on things that were not for them. It was never on the plans for the property. It was a small shaft that was built into the place. Before he died he did have a dumbwaiter installed into the house. The people who owned the house before me covered it up. They didn’t use it and when the realtor walked me through the house, he actually mentioned tearing it out and making more floor space. I tried to fix it up so that I could use it to take some of my stuff upstairs, only to find that it lead to something else entirely. It took some effort but I was able to build a totally safe office in there with no one from the Air Force, NID, Trust, or the IOA knowing about it.”

“That’s a feat. How did it happen?”

“I have some friends that I have gotten back in contact with.” Daniel looked over at Rodney who had just been listening to John and Daniel talking. Rodney stood up and moved over to where the bulge in the wall was. He walked over and touched the wall. Nothing happened. Daniel sat down on the corner of the desk and watched. John sat up and set something down on the desktop. It was an LSD. “So that’s how you knew.”

“Yes, when we were looking around and checking for bugs we found that this house didn’t make any noise. None at all. No creaky steps, the walls didn’t make a sound, and when I got up here, Rodney couldn’t hear a thing, I did. I went back to the vehicle and pulled this out. Rodney thought I was nuts.”

Rodney didn’t turn from the wall he just waved a hand in a dismissive manner.

“I knew that if you had gone to that much trouble, you would know we were in the house. Our house is watched like a hawk and we spent over two hours losing the tail that we picked up. Then we left our car at the mall and then came here with a vehicle that was left for us.”

“Why all this? Just to talk to me.”

“Rodney fears for your life it seems.”

Rodney huffed and turned around to look at Daniel. Daniel just laughed and walked over. He put his hand over the wall and the door to the elevator opened. Rodney looked at the wall and touched it in the same spot. He looked at Daniel and frowned. Daniel just stepped into the elevator. Rodney followed and a few seconds later John did.

“Your cell phones won’t work down here.” The doors shut and Daniel hadn’t touched anything. Looking around the elevator, Rodney noticed that there were no buttons. There was no way that it would be safe to just have the doors be on a timer. Rodney waited though until they were down in the office before he asked any questions. “Welcome to my home!”

Rodney looked around and saw a great many things that shouldn’t be outside of the mountain. There was no way that they had been taken from either there or Area 51. There were at least four Ancient consoles in the office and as well as other artifacts. Daniel walked over to the desk and the regular computer. He typed in a few things and seconds later John’s cell phone buzzed. John jumped slightly and then pulled it out.

“All your calls have been routed. The phone here will ring if someone calls your cell phone. They won’t be able to trace a location.” Seconds after Daniel finished talking the house phone rang. Daniel looked at it. It was one of the numbers for the mountain. Daniel pointed to John.

“Sheppard,” John said when he picked it up.

“Colonel, you are needed back at the SGC. We have been trying to reach you for few minutes.”

“Sorry, I was in a cell phone dead space.”

“We can’t locate your tracker. When can you get to the SGC?”

“I can be there in an hour. I’ll make sure to mention to McKay that the tracker is malfunctioning.”

“Yes, you do that.”  
End Flashback

“Yeah, I remember it.”

“Sam is unstable. She knew that Rodney and I had become friends. You were supposed to go on that mission and when you got back, Rodney was supposed to be dead. She wanted me to have no friends at all. She didn’t want to kill me because that might backfire. Jack might have become more attached to me. She wanted me to leave. She thought that she almost had me there and then you guys came back.”

“I see. That is why you enticed Rodney to stay with that office you had set up.”

“Yes. We have been playing this game for a while. I won that battle and she thinks that now that I am here that she has won the war. What she doesn’t know is that I am going to save existence from the Wraith and win that battle. Ultimately, though, she is going to win the war but she will lose Jack. Her actions will have far reaching consequences that is going to set mankind back a great deal, but because of that we will have what it takes to fight an even greater enemy a few hundred years from now.”

“So Rodney was right, you do see visions.”

“I see the future of the decisions that are being made in an instant. I can only see what might be and what is as the result of what is going on right now. That is why I have plans within plans within plans.”

“A Mentat huh?” John asked with a laugh. Daniel just shrugged.


	3. More Questions Than Answers

John looked around the observation deck. Daniel was leaning against the railing, watching him. “Were you and Rodney ever lovers?” John could feel the intensity of the gaze even though he wasn't looking at the other man. Daniel was the kind of person that Rodney went for when younger. John could see under the stress and haggardness of his body that Daniel had been very beautiful when younger. Even now he was a looker; he drew too much attention from other men and women. O'Neill had warned him of that before they had left, warned him that Daniel never saw it coming. John could see the looks from Ronon and John made a mental note to warn him about what Daniel never saw coming.

“Yes, but it was never as strong as your bond. I knew of him from various circles. I was sent to try and get information out of him, the means didn’t matter. He knew it too, from the moment that I introduced myself to him. It was the only job I ever did for MI-5, and because of that they paid off several of my college loans over in Great Britain. We enjoyed each other’s company but that was it. When my handler figured out that I wasn’t going to get any information out of him I was pulled from Canada back to England and my time with them ended. I went back to America and to Chicago to finish some schooling there. I was never in danger of being hurt by Rodney. That was part of why they didn't want a true agent going in. They see danger in everything.”

“And he still trusted you?”

“Yes, I couldn’t lie to save myself back then and he knew why I was being sent. MI-5 wanted an American because they thought he wouldn’t suspect one. What they didn’t know what that he figured they would throw a Canadian or an American at him. Everything after that you know from the SGC records.”

“What are we doing out here?”

“Saving the galaxy.”

“Yes, how are we saving it?” John was getting frustrated. Daniel knew what he wanted, he was sure of it but he was making John spell it out.

“There is a warrior who is trapped and we have to free him. We need this ship to do it. First off though, we have to get this ship up and running. That is going to take a while. You’ll love her when she is done. She will blow your mind. And we have to get this ship an A.I.”

“A.I.? Where are we doing to find one of those? How are we going to find one?"

“I don’t know. I know I will find her but I don’t know where.” Daniel looked off into space as he talked. John could see the loneliness crushing him. It wasn't as bad and that was good but time would heal it, they all just had to let it happen. John was seeing the quality in Daniel that made people want to protect him. He was almost one hundred percent sure that was what drew Ronon in but it was Daniel's depth and ability to love a world that had taken everything from him was what had kept circling Daniel. It was what kept Rodney around and what was pulling himself in.

“So you are not all knowing?”

“No, just mostly knowing.”

“Is that how you know where everything is on the ship?”

“Yes. You came out here and didn’t trust me?”

“I trusted that you would get us home safe because Rodney believed that. I didn’t know why you needed us out here so bad. Now I understand. This group that you brought with you will follow you everywhere.”

“Why does Ronon like me so much?”

“I think he has a soft spot for those who seem weak but aren’t. I don’t know. I think you intrigue him. He can’t read you like he can others. I think it has to do with whatever magical powers you have.”

“No magical powers, just Ancient powers. This ship is not all that it appears. I think you will find this ship very interesting once you see it at full power. First though it needs to be safe enough to travel that distance. There is a lot of work that needs done, but first off, I want to have a meeting with Rodney and you with all the civilians. I don’t think that they truly understand what is going on with the ship.”

xXxXxXx

Daniel was standing in the back of the room in a dark corner. No one had noticed him back there. John and Rodney were standing in the front waiting for all the civilians to enter. Radek was watching all the systems. After twenty minutes all of them had assembled.

“You all have been sent a copy of our orders from the President. Are there any questions?” John asked. His eyes passed around the room.

“Why isn’t Young really leading us?”

“Because the President thinks that you all are idiots and need someone like me to lead you. Your lack of respect for rules and regulations that you signed frankly frightens him. Because of you, all civilians on Earth will be grounded until they go through training and several tests to see how many are like you. Now General O’Neill will be here in about twenty minutes. Rodney and I have a few things to go over and then he will talk to you.”

“You really think that you can come in here and tell us what to do?” Wray asked as she stood up and moved to the front of the room. She stopped at the beginning of the chairs. She wasn’t quite in front of everyone but she was in front of the ones seated.

“Actually, I do. Go talk to the IOA when we are done here. They will tell you the same thing. The President and all of the leaders of the countries that have people out here have agreed that there needs to be one clear leader because they all want you home safe. In this case, I will be in charge of everyone but for the most part civilians will report to Doctor McKay.”

“Why him?”

“Because that is who the IOA has agreed on putting in charge of all the civilians. It’s all in a packet that will provided to you at the close of this. Rodney and I will start making a list of punishments for infractions. A court will be held for most of the more serious offenses but if you decide to go with the court ruling, there will be no appeals. You will do what punishment is handed to you. Your reports will be filed away on a computer for later review by the IOA and your home country as long as it doesn’t deal with the direct safety of this mission. If you are American and you do something to harm another on this mission, you will face a charge of treason. If you are not American, your current country leader will decide your fate. I don’t want to even think on what some of your countries will do to you.”

“So we are going to live under martial law?”

“Not quite that bad. Just do what you are told while you are on duty. Don't try any of the shit you were trying to pull with Young and don’t do anything that will put another person in harm’s way and we will get along. I think that those are very simple rules to follow. You all and Rodney are another thing. You will come to like me better than him, I promise. He is a hard task master and expects perfection. He also expects you to perform to the best of your ability, even if you don’t think you can. He will have more restrictions than that and that is between you and him. ”

“I can speak for myself, you know.” Rodney’s voice sounded hard but there was affection there.

“Yes, Rodney but I can speak for you better.” John smiled at Rodney.

Rodney just glared at him before clearing his throat. “You can expect to hate me for the rest of your life if you are lazy. You will do what I ask or you will be on permanent grunt duty. I expect all you to get into shape. There will be two training sessions a day with the military men. I expect you to be at one of them a day. Missing one will make me very upset. You will not like me upset. I know that you are not military and I don’t expect you to get as fit as them but you will be the main reason we live so you will be expected to live up to that. If you miss the first because you don't want to go to it, and are on duty for the second, that doesn't get you out. That means that you will be leaving duty to go to it and then coming back and making up the time. If it happens a lot, you will deal with me. I want to bring you all home and that means that you need to be in better shape.”

“I have asthma! I can’t be expected to do physical labor.” Someone from the crowd called out.

“Yes, I can. Doctor Keller has your file and has approved you for whatever I can throw at you. She also has inhalers for you. Really, quit complaining and suck it up. Ah, here he is.” Everyone followed Rodney's gaze to the side door into the mess.

Scott walked into the room. He stood a little off from what he normally did and that clued everyone in on the fact that it was not Scott. John saluted him and Jack saluted back.

“As you were. I have had a fun few hours. I need to speak to all six of you plus Young when we get done here.” Jack turned from John and Rodney and faced the crowd in front of him. “All of the orders stand. The President it seems was more in the know than the people at the SGC. As of the second they walked onto this ship, Colonel Sheppard was in charge.”

“General O’Neill?” Wray asked.

“Right in one. Are we done here?” Jack waited for Rodney to nod and then he turned to walk from the room. John and Rodney could tell that he was mad. They knew that he would be. Daniel was the one who was going to have to calm him down.

John looked back where Daniel was standing. Daniel nodded before leaving through the back door. Daniel looked around the hallway he was in then he started off to the right. He found one of the bathrooms and entered it. He didn’t come out.

Radek was the last to enter the office that John had taken over. Everyone but Daniel was already in the office. Jack was sitting in John’s chair but he didn’t mind. The five newcomers were standing on the other side of the desk.

“Where’s Daniel?”

“He’ll be along shortly. I expect that you found that the house we three were sharing is no longer being rented and that Jennifer and Radek closed down their houses?”

“Yes. Security teams tried to enter Daniel’s home but couldn’t. They couldn’t even break the windows. What is going on, Sheppard?”

“What do you mean?” John asked. Jack gave him a hard look but didn’t say anything. “I don’t know the details but it seems that our new President has decided that Daniel can see the future or at least possible futures. We are here to stop one of those futures from happening.”

“I see. Why should I not be going back to the SGC right now and starting the process of getting you all pulled from the leadership of this mission for insanity?”

“Because the Jack O’Neill that used to believe Daniel is still in there.” Rodney moved to stand in front of Jack at the desk.

“So he has you believing that Sam is controlling me as well, huh?”

“Nope. All I had to do was watch and I believed it. You wouldn’t let Daniel go on the mission to Pegasus and there was a better chance of him coming home from that than there is of him coming home from this. Yet you let him go because Sam wanted it. Just look at the facts, Jack.”

“I think that’s enough from you, Doctor McKay,” Jack replied icily.

Rodney could tell that Jack was breaking. He was seeing what he was doing but didn't like it, so was hiding behind anger.

“Actually, on this ship I am the leader. You have rank over me General, but not here. This is my outpost and I control it.” John crossed his arms and looked at Jack with a hard stare.

“How did you know that the committee was going to pick you six?”

“Daniel,” Ronon answered. Jack looked over at him.

“We believe him and in him, General,” Radek stated.

“We are going to save the world and we were given the right to do it.” Rodney smiled at Jack. It wasn’t a nice smile, it was one of the ‘get away and never come back cause you won’t like it if you do’ type of smiles.

“From what?”

“Itself,” Daniel replied. Everyone in the room started looking around. There was no one else in the room. “I am here.” Seconds later, Daniel was visible behind Jack. Jack jumped up out of his chair and looked at Daniel.

“How?”

“After everything that has ever happened with me, you can’t answer that? Let’s just say that when I came home from RepliCarter killing me, I came back changed. Slowly, my DNA has shifted so that I am Ancient. All those fears I had after I came back, they are true, Jack. No one would listen to me so the Ancients did some things. Rush was pushed to do what he did. They knew about the attack by the Alliance and they pushed things.”

“So they have been interfering?”

“Yes, some of the older ones have, a little. There is a greater enemy than the Wraith out there and it has been sleeping and it will wake up. Much of their life, a long time ago, was spent fighting these creatures. There was a recorded history that has lost to our knowledge. They destroyed all of creation to fight these monsters and yet they still live. I have a very small window of chance to get to where they are and destroy the rest of them for good. If the world continues like it does, we will lose everything. Do you want that?”

“No.”

“Then leave us alone.” Daniel turned and left the room. He wasn’t going to go over the plan again and again until Jack was happy with it. He had a plan that he felt was good. Getting Jack to believe what he was seeing would take forever and every second counted. They had to get going to fix up the ship.

xXxXxXx

Daniel found Rodney sitting in the room with the chair. Rodney had three laptops open in front of him and a tablet in his hand. He was looking back and forth at each one.

“This chair is barbaric.” Rodney stated as he stood up from the bench and stretched a little.

“It wasn’t meant for a human or an Ancient.”

“What?” Rodney stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Daniel.

“This whole ship hides what it truly is. Yes, when Destiny was launched she was very old but she was upgraded when the Ancients fled the Pegasus Galaxy. She was upgraded to fit the needs of me.”

“I swear you are speaking English, I just don’t understand it and that is saying something.” Rodney handed Daniel a tablet that showed the systems that were not working. The ship was still four hours away from going into hyperspace.

“John is locking down all personnel in the mess hall. There are no guards in the halls or the ‘gate room. When he is done, he and Radek will join us here and we are doing to change Destiny.”

“What?” Rodney looked at him. He hadn’t been told so that he wouldn’t worry about it.

Daniel didn’t answer. He walked over to a console that Rodney had never been able to get power to. Daniel laid his hand on it and it changed. Rodney felt a charge through the room and then a blinding light. The console in front of Daniel looked new. Rodney nearly jumped out of his skin and walked over. He could read what the console said for the first time. The words were in English and not the strange version of Ancient. A noise from the door alerted them to the fact that John and Radek were back. Rodney didn’t even look up. He just stared at the console.

“Ronon is babysitting all of them. Now what are we have control...that’s new. I can read it.” John’s eyes fell on the console. He and Radek walked to the new console. Radek touched it and nothing happened. John touched it, second, and still nothing. Rodney touched it and it lit up. They all three looked up at Daniel who just smiled.

“Right now I have it programmed so that only Rodney can activate it. Once we have upgraded the ship, well then I can add more people. What we are about to do to the ship will not change the repairs that are needed. Instead the ship is getting a facelift and a brain transplant.”

“Why?” Radek moved to the bench as he asked the question. Rodney joined him as they looked at one of the laptops and then looked at Daniel for the answer.

“Because this ship is ugly? The metal that is going to be uncovered helps charge the ship better. There is a metal cover that is going to come out of reservoirs on the ship and flood over these consoles. It will be non-conductive, it's a living metal that they were only able to produce in a small quantity and they tried it on Destiny. Once the upgrade was complete, one of their Elders got a vision of what is to come. It was so horrifying that once he had recited it all to the rest of the Elders, he Ascended to set in motion all of this. This metal will be able to heal itself, not quite a nanite but very close. Hull breaches will go away and when new ones pop up, they will heal themselves fairly quickly. It's going to cover every wall, floor, and console but seats and bunks and other things like that won't be changed. John, when we start this, send a message for everyone to pull their feet up and don't let them touch the ground.”

“Wow.” John, Rodney, and Radek all said at the same time. Daniel just smiled at them. John nodded that he was going to send the message. He sat down at the bench beside the new console. He patted the seat beside him and Rodney sat down.

“I need you to shut down all the consoles in the ship. Once you have done that type in my mother’s name. It will start the process. This room will be last, we can’t be touching anything once it starts, other than the floor and seating. The whole process will take two hours. Ronon has been prepped to control the others. The mess hall will change the least.”

Rodney started to bring up menus and shut down all the consoles. It took over ten minutes before the computer confirmed they were shut down. Rodney typed in Claire Jackson and the entire ship started to shake. Daniel didn’t react at all; he just turned on his ear piece. He listened to the chatter. Ronon had his set up so that it picked up background noises; that way he could hear the chatter in the mess hall.

The first hour of the face lift went fine. It was in the middle of the second hour that things got interesting. Daniel was sitting on the bench with his eyes closed when he suddenly leaned forward and was typing on the console.

“Why are you powering that up?” Rodney asked, looking over Daniel’s shoulder. He watched as Daniel typed as information flowed over the screen. It moved too fast for Rodney to read what Daniel was reading or what he was typing. The ship started to shudder harder and Rodney nearly fell off the bench. Daniel leaned back from the console and sighed. Rodney looked in Daniel’s eyes and they were white.

“I see words all the time. They flash on the walls and in the air. Ancient words that talk of destruction and floods. I see the name John flashed too. I don’t know why.” Daniel turned to Rodney as he spoke and his eyes started to go back to normal.

“What were you doing?”

“Setting up a few subroutines. I can’t risk it, Rodney. I have to protect you all. The facelift is done and the new computer OS is running fine. Now we need to repair things. Once we jump in about two hours, we will be at a planet we can stay at for a while. It will have food and water and everything we need to finish repairs. Then we go get our Hero. I want everyone to rest. We start fresh in the morning. It’s been a long day.”

“I’ll tell everyone.” John left the room and Rodney tutted and followed him. Daniel stood up and left, Radek and Ronon followed him. They all went to their room and settled down. Daniel opened his laptop and pulled up music.

“You guys mind?”

Ronon said nothing but shrugged and Radek just waved and opened his book.

“We have much to do yeah?” Radek asked with a smile.

“Yeah, we do. Once we repair the ship, then we send the people home we want to go, then it's off to find this hero that I see.”

“Who is he?”

“A lone warrior stuck on a ship where no one knows where he is. He is alone in more ways than one. He thinks that he is the last of his kind. I have news for him.”

“You still scare me sometimes, Jackson.”

“I scare me sometimes.”

“So we are going to a habitable planet?” Ronon asked as he pulled one of his knives from his hair and started to sharpen it.

“Yes, for the two month repair, we will be in orbit of a planet that will shelter us but we have to be off before winter.”

No one asked why. There was silence in the room as each man kept busy. The sharpening of the knife, the rustle of the book pages, the clack of keys, and music were the only noises. Daniel looked up from his computer and there on the wall was a word: Mox.

“Soon.” The whispered word caught the attention of the other two. Both looked up and stared at Daniel for a few seconds.

“What?” Radek asked as he closed his book and set it down. Daniel didn't act like he had heard. Ronon set down his knife and sharpener.

As Daniel looked at the word, it turned from black to red. It was blood. Daniel watched as the blood started to drip down the wall from the X. It streaked off into paths it wouldn’t take if it was just normally running down the wall. It formed another word: Cortana.

The name rung in Daniel’s head. That was who they needed. Their AI, the one that was going to become the brain of the ship. Now he just had to find her. He shook his head to clear it and looked at the other two.

“Sorry. I...”

“You were talking of a woman,” Ronon said as he picked his things back up and went back to his task. He looked disappointed.

“Cortana, the AI that I am looking for. She will become the brain of the ship. I have seen her in an avatar form but I didn’t know her name before now. That helps me to recognize her when I find her.”

“What does she look like?”

“I only see her in a hologram and she’s not human looking. She’s blue but I can feel it that she is what we need.”

“Blue?” Ronon asked.

“Blue and has a bad attitude.”

xXxXxXx

“So where are we going?” Rodney asked. He looked behind himself again so that he could confirm that no one was following them.

“Calm down, McKay!” John said his voice full of exasperation.

“Please, you are killing my happy mood!” Radek looked back at him with a glare before turning back to Daniel.

“I’m lost. I know all the parts of the ship that we have been in and this isn’t any of them and I know we have passed that console three times now!” Rodney stopped and pointed before turning to look at Daniel.

“I know. Just a little more and we will be there. I want to make sure that Rush didn’t have Eli send a Kino to follow us.”

“You can’t just magic that out of your ass?” Rodney asked with a smile on his face as he started to follow the other three again. Daniel laughed but didn’t answer. Finally after a left turn, they started into new areas. Rodney still hadn’t been in any of them but they looked well used from a previous time. After another minute of travel, Daniel stopped in front of a set of doors. He turned to face the group.

"Do you want to know the secret to this ship?" Daniel asked even though he knew that he didn’t have to.

"Yes," the other three replied.

"Good." Daniel turned back to face the door and it opened after few seconds.

"The Bridge," Rodney nearly yelled as he pushed past John and Radek. Radek was right on his heels and they spent several minutes looking at all the screens. Neither touched any of them not wanting to mess anything up. "I wondered how you were going to stop the ship and make it stay at this planet of yours for two months while we complete repairs. Now I know. This will make things a lot easier."

"Except for one thing. We can't deviate from the path much. There is a reason that we are on the path we are on. We have to make sure we have enough energy to get from here to there and that means we have to stop at certain stars."

"Yes, yes I know, now can I?" Rodney asked waving at the pilot's chair. Daniel waved him on.

"With the upgrades we did yesterday we can limit access to certain places. We can do DNA scans for people in here and even limit when they are allowed."

"That's good with the Lucian Alliance on the way." John smiled at Daniel. He looked down at the scientists and then back at Daniel. "So Radek tells me Ronon was jealous of an AI named Cortana. I will say I never saw that one coming."

"Ronon being gay?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah." John shook his head.

"From what he has told me when we were talking about Sateda when you guys came back from Atlantis, the Satedans have been known to love one person and if that person is lost they rarely fall in love with another of that sex. If they ever fall in love again at all."

"Interesting. I guess that explains why he never went after Jennifer seriously."

Daniel nodded and smiled as Rodney and Radek talked back and forth in a jumble of English and Czech. He wasn’t sure if either really understood all that each other was saying but he figured that they would figure it all out over time.


	4. Edenistic Goodbyes

"So this is our magic planet?" Rodney asked looking out the bridge window. He looked back at Daniel and smiled. Daniel was seated in the flight chair while Rodney and Radek were seated at other spots. No one else knew about the Bridge except those three and John. It was safer. It's not that they didn't trust the others just that information is better controlled with fewer people knowing about it. Not all the protocols were in place just yet for limiting people to the bridge. The bridge itself could detach and fly on its own away and in a time of crisis, those alive needed to be able to get inside.

"Yep, this is Eden."

"Eden, really?" Rodney scoffed a little but finally nodded as he looked at it.

"It's what the crew here would have called it if we all hadn't come along and hijacked their mission. I think it fits. It really is an Eden. Humanoid kind has not set foot on the planet for many, many, many years. Think of it as a virgin planet. The animals will have no memory of creatures like us and so they won't fear us. The fruit and vegetation will be eaten by someone other than animals and mammals for the first time."

"Yes, well there is something to be said about virgin nature. It doesn't know when to give up." Rodney looked at the others who retained composure for several seconds before bursting out laughing. "I am going to ignore that. What about the UV on the planet?"

"You'll be fine. The planet is in the late stages of summer right now. The food will be plentiful and the water will be wonderful. We are going to restock this ship with water once we land and get some food stored up. This time though we won't be leaving people behind."

"What?" The others asked as

"There were people that decided to try and stay on the planet to live than live on the ship. They feel the aliens that built an obelisk on the planet were their best chance of getting home. They stayed hoping the aliens would come back. They died."

"I see. Is this planet really that nice?" Rodney asked looking out the window again. "I mean why would anyone want to live on a planet where one would have to start over again?"

"At least on Atlantis you had other options. Here they had the ship and this was the only planet they had come across that they could make a living on. Some people can't live in a place like this. You had the ocean and the sky. This is dark and gloomy."

"I guess that I can understand that. I guess I could never want to live on a planet full of nature with no set structures and no hygiene."

Radek laughed and turned away from Rodney. Daniel just watched as they approached the planet.

"What are we going to tell everyone now that we are here? There is no countdown clock and no Stargate?" John asked entering the Bridge.

"Since we will be here and then taking the others to the ship, I don't see why we can't tell them about the Bridge once we get the security protocols in place." Daniel stood up to let John sit in his chair while he went to another console. John didn't move towards the chair. He stayed up on the upper deck of the Bridge. Daniel brought up the console and started looking at it. "I want to stay here and work on some things. You three can handle everything right?"

"Then I want Ronon in here with you at all times."

"They won't find me."

"Jackson, this is going to be non-negotiable. He would kill me if you got hurt and he wasn't here to protect you. I am not taking any chances. You were correct. Letting you take the lead in all of this made you the bad guy with everyone. They are taking things better from us thinking that you are the bad guy."

"I told you. Once the others are gone things will get better."

"Do you know who is staying?"

"There are many. Most of the military is staying and so is Young. It's Rush I am worried about. I see so much involving him that goes either way."

"How many do we need to run the ship?" Radek asked as he pulled his eyes away from the computer and looked at the screen above him.

"At most, twenty five. Once we get Cortana, just six."

"And you don't know when we are getting her?" Rodney stood up and moved towards the upper deck. Radek stayed in his chair. Rodney gave Radek a pointed look but Radek didn't move.

"No. I need Radek with me so that we can get the ship in a stable orbit. Once we have achieved a stable one, the away team can go down to set up camp. Once we get the shield better updated, we can repair the other shuttle and use both to transport enough food and supplies."

"Do we have a way to preserve the food?"

"The kitchen will be one of the first things that Radek will fix once we start replacing the circuits and wires. We can vacuum seal or dry a good bit of the food and freeze all of it. Hydroponics will be able to get plantings to grow our own. I mostly want to send all the food with the others who are going back to Earth."

"Cause we won't need it?"

"Not really. Just mainly while we are here fixing the ship. Other than that we need about a months' worth for all of us that are staying, plus one. Do you really think that I will get attacked?" Daniel turned to look at John while he asked the question.

"I don't know. I just know what I do know about Ronon. If he cares for you, then he would kill me if you got injured."

"Fine. Then go get him so he can babysit me. I should have the protocols up and running in about seven hours. The new skin we put up on the ship has made the security protocols active. Make sure the away team stays away from the obelisk on the planet. It is very dangerous and could cause a lot of harm." Daniel smiled at John who nodded and left the room.

"How?" Rodney asked.

"I don't know. I just see it blowing up when someone goes inside."

"Yeah, we'll make sure they stay the hell away. You know, you've yet to explain to me how you are able to do all these updates with no science degree." Rodney didn’t wait for an answer, just turned and followed John out the room. Radek started to laugh while he started implementing the protocol that Daniel wanted. Daniel was laying down the translation work for the entire database. Rodney wanted to know how Daniel knew all of it but he knew that Daniel wouldn’t tell him until he was ready. Daniel didn’t understand half of what he was doing, he just did what his memories told him to do and he hoped nothing blew up.

"I can access what you are doing and what you are typing makes no sense." Radek’s voice was full of awe and that was hard to do. His voice was much like Rodney’s and usually full of snark.

"They laid substantial code in the system that I have to decode and then translate into something the computer actually recognizes. It has spent years trying to figure out the language put into its databases. It will take me six hours to decode and translate it all and then after that an hour for the computer to do what the code is telling it to do."

"This ship is an odd one." Radek moved his gaze to the window that looked out at the planet.

"I know. The Ancients really did a number on it so that we can use it."

"What is so special about this ship and what we are going to do?"

"I don't know. I don't why we have to do all these changes to the ship. We are just going into the unknown and picking up a man and taking him home for a little while. After that, we are going to Pegasus and taking the fight to the Wraith."

"So they aren't telling you everything?"

"No. I see enough to get us from point A to point M but all the steps in between are jumbled. I might see a couple and sometimes they are in order but other times they are not. I have to just wing it from one point to another. I know that sometime after we get the ship fixed the Lucian Alliance is going to attack. I don't know if delaying the repair of the ship will stopped them from coming for a while or if they will just catch us with our pants down. I know that fixing the ship will bring them but I don't know how long after."

"It must suck to be you," Ronon said. Daniel and Radek both turned and saw Ronon standing there.

"How did you...?" Both asked at the same time. There was no one with him.

"I know exactly where you have been going. I was able to follow your footsteps after you four came in here. I am the only one capable though so don't worry about your secret."

"We will both be staying here until the security changes are done. After that I want to limit access to the Bridge to us at all times along with T.J., Jennifer, John, Rodney, Eli, and Young. As for the rest, once we set up schedules for duties, they will only be allowed in when their shift is on. Rush is never to be allowed in unless either Rodney or Radek is with him. I've already talked to John about most of this."

"Sounds like you have it all under control in here. Where can I sit?" Ronon looked at all the machines all around and looked uncomfortable for the first time ever that Daniel could remember.

"The chair there in the middle. I won't need it for several hours." Daniel supplied while he stayed looking at his monitor and started typing again.

Ronon sat in the chair and fiddled with a knife of his. After an hour he stood up and moved to look out the window.

"Sheppard is talking the shuttle down to the planet. He took all military personnel not on guard duty down with him. Rush tried to fight him on it. Once they get a perimeter set up, he is going to send Scott back up to get the scientists."

"Then while the security protocols are set up. It will take five trips to take the rest of the crew down to the planet. That's when Rodney will join us again from the planet and we will set everything up. They will come back to a changed ship and they won't like any of us for it." Daniel kept his voice calm even though he wasn’t. Everything was critical at this point. Any delays could set them back hours if not days.

"You can get on the last console there and bring up music. It's been uploaded from my computer and hard drives. You can access it from anywhere on the ship. Once security is up and running, then I will set it up so that everyone can access all the music."

Ronon sat down in the chair and started to fiddle with the console. He smiled when the sounds of some of his favorite music started to play over the speakers in the Bridge.

"What about power?"

"Won't affect it. Once we finish up the repairs then everything will be fine. Power won’t be as much of an issue."

"Anything I can do to help?" Ronon asked as he cued us music.

"Just don't touch anything but the music."

Ronon gave a dry chuckle and Daniel laughed back.

xXxXxXx

"For a ship that is as old as Destiny is, she fixed up real nice," Young stated holding up his cup of juice. His eyes tracked all around the room. People were milling about, looking at the changes that even the Mess Hall got.

"That was all a way to hide her true power. No one would go after a ship looking like she did not for anything but junking. If she had looked as she does now she would have never survived." Rodney sat down beside Young, clinking their cups together. "Two months of hard work done. She can do anything that she wants."

"She has surpassed all my hopes for her," Rush stated from where he was standing at the side of the Mess. All of the Command Staff were meeting to discuss how they were going to decide who was being sent back to Earth. So far, only three had arrived. The rest would arrive as their jobs were finished. There were others that were in the room getting snacks and drinks but Ronon would be chasing them off when everyone else got there.

"So he really jumped through the glass?" Ronon asked as he entered the room with Jennifer in front of him.

"Yes, he did."

"Why?" Ronon looked perplexed at what Jennifer was talking about.

"To save his friends. He knew that if that blew up the whole area would have been lost. He had to make the choice to die himself or lose everyone he cared about."

"Where is Daniel?" Rodney asked looking at Ronon, point blank. It was rare that Ronon didn’t know where Daniel was at all points in time.

"With Radek and Sheppard. They are finding Wray and bringing her as well. I am sure that the IOA will want a voice in this. Or at least that is what Daniel thinks." Young laughed as he talked. Ronon sat down at a table by himself while Jennifer moved to another table by herself. All it took was for Ronon to glare at the personnel milling about and they quickly left the room.

Minutes later, Radek, John, Daniel, and Wray entered the Mess hall. After looking around to make sure they were alone, Daniel shut and locked the door behind him. "I disabled the Kino's so that Eli can't try and eavesdrop."

"Your control of the ship astounds me still, Doctor Jackson," Rush said, his voice tinged with disbelief and incredulity and quite a bit of anger. Daniel didn't answer him at all, he barely looked at Rush. Instead he sat down opposite Ronon while Radek sat beside Jennifer and Wray and John joined Young and Rodney. John cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"I want to thank you all for the support and unity you have shown over the past months. We are actually on time and will set out for the Asgard ship tonight. It will take a week in hyperspace to reach the ship with the outer hull replacement pieces. That is also the ship that will send the others home. Once we get the hull replaced then the others will leave."

"How many do we need to pick to take?" Wray asked.

"Twenty and the President only allowed us to take those who volunteered..."

"There are still a few who I don't want to go." Rodney butted in. John glared at him. "What? I want to get my two cents in. I don't want to be stuck with someone who won't work the way that I need them to or want them to."

"I don't think you need to worry about that, Rodney," Daniel said, laughing.

"There are only five civilians that I think will do well on the trip that are from the original mission. Rush, Wallace, Brody, Volker, and Boone. Those are the ones that I want."

"What does that put the Civilian count up to?" John asked.

"Adding in Rodney, Radek, Keller, those five and myself that gives us nine. Adding in Young, John, Ronon, Greer, and Scott, that gives us fourteen."

"We need six more, then yes?" John looked between Rodney and Daniel.

"Do we really have to bring along Scott and Wallace?" Rush asked.

"I see that you don't have me going along." Wray asked standing up and staring at Rodney. John cleared his throat to bring her attention back to him. He was sick of her standing all the time to try and get attention and bring the focus to her. He hated power games like that.

"Yes, both Scott and Wallace have to go. As for you, Wray, we are going to be going into a war zone and you can't protect yourself. You refuse to take weapons training. The President is demanding that you be brought back to Earth for your own protection."

"Why?"

"I don't ask the President those kinds of things." John cocked his eyebrow asking if she wanted to ask the President and second guess the leader of America.

"Then why am I here?"

"We wanted you to hear it from us." John stood up to match her and gave her a wicked smile.

"I see. You didn't want me to blow up and disrupt this wonderful little bubble would you? You don’t want dissent on your mission. You don’t want someone asking the hard questions." Wray moved closer to John but Ronon standing up at the same time that John moved towards her made her stop in her tracks.

"Yes, but also because we have reviewed what you have tried to do over the past two months. You would have had everyone mutiny and gotten nowhere with it. We are a small group, discord is not good," Daniel spoke as he stood up and moved over to where Wray was standing.

"You have no right to force any of us to follow Jackson on this harebrained scheme. They will all die and you have no reason to go." Wray looked at John as she spoke, ignoring Daniel, who just smiled at her. It wasn't a nice smile. Daniel rarely smiled like that at anyone but System Lords who were about to die. Wray didn't know that though. Rodney snorted and shook his head. He wanted to see this. He had little fun since arriving on Destiny and this was proving to be the best entertainment of all.

"And this is why you are going home. You are dismissed. Scott is waiting outside to take you back to your room. Your room will be locked from the outside and only a few will be able to access. You will stay there until it is time for you to go home." John turned towards the door and waited for her to walk to it.

Wray sniffed and tilted her head up. She walked to the door and exited. John and Ronon sat back down.

"She's going to be trouble when she gets back."

"She and Carter can form a pity party. I have gone over all the medical reports for the civilians and military personnel. Based on personality and medical, the final six military personnel should be James, Barnes, Lee, Becker, Chu, and Mackie. They are the best to handle the situation. I also agree that we should take no more than twenty. Adding someone new to the group will be hard for those who have been here since the accident that brought them here.” Jennifer handed John a piece of paper for him to look over that went into more detail than what she had just said.

"Thanks, Jennifer. Young, do you still agree with who we are taking?" John asked.

"Yes. I think that they will be the ones to go."

"If they agree to go." Ronon sighed as he shifted about in his seat. He hated being at these meetings but he agreed that he should be.

"Don't worry. I think that I can give them a reason to what to go. Especially the civilians." Daniel stood up and started to leave the room.

"Wait, Daniel!" Ronon called but Daniel didn't stop. Ronon ended up having to jog to catch up. "Where are you going?"

"I am going to the Bridge. I want to look some things up."

xXxXxXx

Several hours later, everyone on the ship was in the Mess waiting for John and Young to arrive. Finally, they arrived. Rodney and Daniel had already briefed the whole of the room on the mission.

"You want us to volunteer for a suicide mission?" Scott asked as John and Young sat down at the front of the room.

"No. It's not suicide. We have a mission. The threat of the Wraith is real and looming. We have information that will lead us to a society that can give us weapons to fight with."

"I thought we were saving a man to help us?" Chloe Armstrong asked.

"Yes, and the society that he lives in will gladly help us. They just ended a great war and are on their way to rebuilding. I have seen that they will gladly help us.

"Society?"

"Yes, an advanced society that has many nice weapons. Including some nice MAC guns. Orbital MAC guns." Daniel smiled as his comment made many of the hands in the room go up. Radek started to take the names down while he shared a sly smile with Daniel and Rodney.

"When will we know?" Chloe asked as she put her hand down finally.

"One hour. Young, McKay, and I will discuss things and let you all know personally." John stood up and waved for Young to follow him. They exited the room.

"Are you lying?" Rush asked standing up and looking at Daniel.

"No."

"How can we be sure?" Rush asked. Ronon moved closer to Daniel but Greer got to Rush first. He didn't touch the doctor but merely got between Daniel and Rush. "I have read your entire file, Doctor Jackson. You have gone crazy before and your grandfather was crazy."

"Actually that was something from a man named Ma'chello and my grandfather did meet aliens. He is actually with them now. My entire team gave testimony to that."

"Still, why should we believe that we are all going along on some joy ride of yours since your old team doesn't give a rat’s ass about you anymore."

"I'd believe that you would do that before I would. You don't care about anything but your discoveries. The only reason that you are even being considered is because you understand this ship even better than anyone else other than me and you might come in handy."

"If you think for one second that I will allow you to harm him. You are mistaken." Ronon practically growled.

"If I wanted to, you wouldn't be able to stop me, caveman." Rush turned and walked away from them all. "I will not allow you to hurt this ship in your need to prove that you can work without your former team."

Daniel sighed and closed his eyes, pulling his glasses off his face and rubbing his nose. The rest of the crew was just standing listening to everything that was going on. Daniel followed him out the door about a minute. Ronon followed on his heels but hung far enough back that Daniel could feel that he was alone.

Daniel went to the observation deck that had been found on the far back left side of the ship. He ignored Ronon’s presence for several minutes before turning to look at him. He looked at Ronon for several minutes before turning back away from him.

"Do you really see this going anywhere?" Daniel’s voice was soft but Ronon heard the words anyway.

"See what going anywhere?"

"Us." The word was breathy and low.

"Daniel, I won't know until there is an us."

"I still can't."

Ronon nodded his head, knowing that Daniel couldn't see him but still he did it. He also stepped back so that he was on the interior of the ship. He was going to give Daniel time to be alone. He could wait.

xXxXxXx

"Are we on approach?" Daniel asked, entering the Bridge. John was in the main chair while Rodney and Radek were sitting in the other chairs. Rush was standing on the deck area. He’d been allowed in the Bridge for pure science reasons. Just to have another on hand that knew the ship.

"Yes, I am not allowed down there."

"I see. I think that is because that chair is mine and we don't want you messing this up." Daniel walked past Rush and started to take a good look out the window. The ship was large in the window.

"What do you need?" John asked.

"Just the shuttle. It will dock with the Asgard ship and I will input the unlocking protocols. It's been in a vacuum for a while now. Inputting the wrong code would shut down and space the ship. Someone had to have tried to enter the ship so there will be a body or many bodies in one of the docking spots. I need the docking spot by the Bridge."

"Okay, Rodney, let’s go where Daniel wants."

The Bridge was silent as the ship approached and got a short distance from the Asgard ship. While Rodney and Radek scanned the ship, Daniel, Greer, and Ronon made their way to the shuttle docking area of the ship.

"Don't you need a suit?" Greer asked.

"No. Once I input my code the air will cycle in the ship."

"You shouldn't ever take a chance like that."

Daniel was looking at the doors. They were covered in blood. The blood started to flow down then it started to flow away from areas on the door. Inviha. Letumon fugiris.

"Enter. Death flees. I got the right door."

Greer looked at Ronon, opening his mouth like he was going to talk, but Ronon shook his head no. Greer shut his mouth.

Daniel opened the door the shuttle and entered, shutting it behind him so that no one could follow. Ronon clicked his ear piece on so that he could hear the chatter of the team monitoring Daniel.

"Can you hear me?" Rodney asked over the radio.

"Yea, I can hear you loud and clear."

"So how does it look up close?" John asked several minutes later once Daniel was docking with the Asgard ship.

"Perfect condition. This is not the docking spot they used. I am about to input my code." Silence fell over the radio as they waited to hear whether the code worked. When Daniel didn't volunteer information, Ronon and Greer looked at each other. "The hatch hasn't opened. Rodney, check power levels."

"They are climbing. I can even see lights coming on in some places." Daniel could hear Rodney typing over the radio. "Yes, I see the ship is at 40% power already. Has your hatch opened yet?"

"No. I would wait a while before sending the other shuttle over."

"We are awaiting your approval, Jackson," John said while talking to Rodney in the Bridge.

Daniel could tell that Rodney wanted to come over right now, no matter that the ship was still in a vacuum. Daniel closed his eyes and waited for the hatch to make a sound. It was several minutes before the ship made a sound. Daniel opened his eyes and looked. The hatch was still shut. There was no other sound. Rodney was silent on the other end of the radio. Daniel stared at the hatch for a few seconds and then it caught on fire. Daniel almost jumped up and ran to the fire retardant on the wall before he noticed that it wasn't burning right. It was another vision. After about a minute the flames died away.

Inundare was burnt into the hatch. Flood again was the most important thing that the Ancients could tell him. There was no way that a flood could happen, even if their water stores were at maximum. It had to mean a flood of another kind but he wasn't sure what kind. A flood of what?

The hatch made a real noise this time and started to open. The hatch on the Asgard ship was opened as well.

"It's safe to come over now. I would take Ronon and Greer because otherwise they will do a spacewalk to get over here."

Daniel entered the Asgard ship and on the walls were two words, repeated so many ways in and in many mediums. Mutario Aegritodu. Daniel stopped and touched his radio. The walls went blank and then more words appeared: Inundare, Mutario Aegritodu, Mox. Flood, Change Sickness, Soon.

"Change Sickness. Changing Sickness. I haven't seen anything about a Changing Sickness."

"Changing Sickness? What about a sickness?" Rodney sounded alarmed at the words Daniel was saying.

"It's what I have been seeing. The Flood. It's the disease. The one that threatened the Ancients. I don't know what it is besides that."

"Could it be the enemy that you have seen?"

"No. I need to think. Why don't you bring the shuttle over? I'm going to the Bridge to get the ship active all the way and to get it ready for its trip."

"Sure. See you in a few. Over and out."

Daniel laughed at Rodney. He exited the hatch area on the ship and started towards the bridge. His mind was full of thoughts and he let his instinct guide him to area he wished. His thoughts full on why they needed a ship like Destiny. It was a long time before the Destiny would be needed to fight. He felt rushed to have her battle ready before they save the Hero. He still wondered how John fit into most of it. John was a wonderful soldier and would help so much in the fight. He just didn't know why he was so important.

"How long until we can send the others on their way?" Rodney asked, strolling onto the bridge.

"One day. I don't think that it's a good thing."

"How is our outside armor being updated?"

"I don't know I just know this ship holds the key."

"Doctor McKay, you have to come see this!" Volker said over the radio. Rodney jerked his head out the door and Daniel followed him. "We are in the forward hold about twenty feet away from where you are."

The two men entered the hold at the same time that Ronon, Greer, and John did. Sitting here in the middle of the room was a crate with Rodney's name on it.

"'Love, Kvasir.'"

"I told you that he had a man crush on you, Rodney." John laughed from where he was at the side of the room.

"Yes, well, it is getting filed away in a deep dark recess, never to see the light of day. I want to know what is inside."

"The hull." Everyone in the room turned to look at Daniel, who looked floored. "It's the hull. I know more about the hull now. How stupid do they think that we are?"

"Jackson?" John stepped up to him and touched his shoulder.

"They want us to put Nanites on the hull of the ship. Living nanites."

Rodney looked at Daniel in shock then back at the crate. "Why would they think that we would do that?"

"Because you will do what needs to be done," a voice said over the intercom in the room. Everyone turned to look to find who was speaking. "I am not there. I am a voice recording. I have been waiting for you all for many years. Those nanites will stay on the hull of your ship until such a time they are needed. They will take the energy and debris from any weapons fire and turn it into what is needed for replacement nanites."

"Nanites go crazy and kill people." Rodney yelled at the top of his lungs.

"These are better nanites. Once you find your AI she can control them and you will not have to fear them. Cortana will control them. The nanites can't form bodies, they are just for hulls."

"And when will we meet her?" Ronon stepped up behind Daniel in a protective manner.

"When the time is right."

xXxXxXx

"So now is the time to make your decisions." John was standing in the hold of the Asgard ship. "Stay here on this ship and be home in a year or go with us and fight the good fight is what it boils down to."

People started to move around a majority of them moved to one side of the hold, away from where the shuttles were docked. Greer, Scott, James, Barnes, Lee, Becker, Chu, and Mackie all moved into one of the shuttles where Young and Ronon were waiting for them. The rest of the military all finished moving over to the far side, except for T.J.. Rodney and Daniel were standing by the other shuttles doors, waiting for the civilians to make their decisions. The crowd started to split. Rodney smiled as Keller, Rush, Eli, Brody, Boone, and Volker all entered the shuttle. They could hear Radek talk to them on the inside.

"T.J.?" Daniel asked as he stepped forward to her. She looked at Daniel and then back at the others.

"T.J., what life would your baby have?" Wray asked from where she was standing on the far side.

"A life with her mother and father and safety away from Earth. I choose you, Daniel. You and Young."

"Join him in the shuttle, then."

As the shuttles detached from the Asgard ship, Rodney sighed a little.

"What's the name of the ship?"

"Fugeri."

"Escape."

"Those on that ship will have it easy. They will get to miss the entire war and all the bad parts. They get to bury their heads in the sand and say that they couldn't have helped. It's their escape."


	5. Who Am I Living For?

"I didn't want to ask while the temptation was still there. You banned us from going near the Tower on Eden. Why? The real reason." Rodney was sitting on a bed in a room that Rodney was trying to decide if he wanted. The living quarters had been found on the ship and each living suite had two bedrooms and a living room. Rodney and John were deciding which room they wanted to share. John didn't care what rooms they got as long as he knew where to sleep that night. He was taking care of making sure that everyone was OK with their new bunkmates. Everyone had to share a suite.

"That Tower was a relic of a day long passed. If someone had found the way into it then something bad would have happened. Someone would have come that would have destroyed our existence and we couldn't have done a thing. Some things, Rodney, it is best not to know."

"Then why did we stop there?" Rodney pulled out his tablet and turned it on. While he waited for it to boot up, he looked around the room. He thought that it would do. It was close to where he and John would be needed if an emergency popped up but far enough away to get some quiet.

"It was the only place with what I needed and the food and resources we all needed."

"What did you need?"

"The Index. It's something needed for our future with our Hero."

"Then why is the Tower there if it is so dangerous? Why didn't the Ancients put more protections up?"

"It was purged from all data banks. Even the Desinty's seed ships didn't remember it being there. I am the only one who knew where it was."

"'Where it was'?" Rodney stopped inputting his password to look at Daniel. Daniel wasn't looking at him. Instead he was looking out one of the windows in the room that looked out into the stars. There was sadness in his form and Rodney hated that it was there.

"Seventeen minutes after we left Eden, the planet blew up. When I retrieved The Index from the Tower, I set its self- destruct. I could allow no one to access it and I had to make sure. I couldn't let them at Earth know about it. Eden is entirely gone. I took out the whole planet. Those that created it called it a Shield World. I don't know what they were shielding but it is no longer there."

"You blew up Eden?"

"I had to."

"You've changed. Become harder than I remember. You can make those decisions now and not flinch. I had hoped you never would have to." Rodney hated what Daniel had to lose to live. He lost so much of what he had been.

"Yes, I know. I had escaped turning hard for so long."

"So are you and Ronon going to get rooms together?"

"Which of these rooms are you two going to use?" Daniel asked, evading the question. He knew which rooms Ronon wanted, the ones across from this set. He wanted to be closest to the heart of the ship so that he could go where needed to do what was needed and get there first.

"What?" Rodney looked at Daniel in shock. They had it so well.

"I've known since the moment I came to Atlantis during the whole Ori problem and the thing with Morgan Le Fay."

"Really?"

"Don't worry. I only knew because of knowing you so well." Daniel smiled at him and winked. Rodney laughed.

"So what do you think of Keller and Radek?"

"Radek and she are sharing apartments." Daniel went back to staring out the window. Rodney didn't know what was so fascinating about space to Daniel. He had always been obsessed with it since starting at the SGC. Even now, years later when it should have been old hat, Daniel was obsessed with it. He loved looking at the stars. It was like he was looking for something. Something that he never finds. Rodney hoped that one day he would find what he was looking for.

"No." Rodney was shocked at that.

"Yes. Radek blushed while telling T.J. they wanted to share. It was so cute."

"How long will it take to get all the rooms ready?"

"Not long. Due to security, John is only having eleven apartments readied. Greer is getting the lone room that he will have to share with the Hero when we find him."

"Young and T.J.?" Rodney asked as he stood up and moved to a small window. He wanted to see what had Daniel's rapt gaze. Even if he could see nothing in the darkness.

"Sharing. They have all been assigned and everyone else is moving into theirs. It will take a day and then we will head out. I brought something along with me. Doses of the ATA therapy."

"Why?" Rodney stopped what he was doing and looked over at him. "Why would we need it?"

"For the ship. Before we leave I want to make sure that everyone has the ATA gene. I wasn't even thinking about it when I was on Earth. I had a dream one night and the next day I had the urge. I was able to sneak some out of the R&D department the day we left. I just know that we are going to need it."

"I don't think that I even want to know why. At least you won't have to worry about us from Atlantis. Even Ronon got the therapy while we were there. It was right before we had to flee but he still got it. You said that we had to get refueled. The ship was at max before we came out here." Rodney moved away from the window and over towards the beds again. He sat down and put his tablet in his lap, tying the whole time.

"Not really. I had a few more fuel cells opened."

"Opened?" Rodney stopped his typing.

"They were hidden. A safety measure. We will be stopping at three stars and filling up on energy on the way to our 'gate."

Rodney turned to look at Daniel from his place on the bed. Daniel was looking at him, facing him. "Stargate?"

"Where do you think that the Ori got their idea for a Supergate from? The Ancients did it first, a very long time ago." Daniel pulled a tablet from his backpack that was on the desk in the corner. He woke it up from sleep and entered his password. He showed Rodney a picture that he had drawn. It was of a Supergate, all right. Except that the details showed that it was of the same generation of the 'gates that were on Atlantis.

"We are going to a Supergate?"

"Yes. I told you that I didn't trust the walls and their ears. Now I can lay the entire plan out for you." Daniel flicked his finger over the screen of the tablet and it moved to the next page.

xXxXxXx

"I had a wife once."

Ronon stopped in his tracks. He didn't know to whom Daniel was talking. Daniel was standing at the foot of the Stargate. It was the middle of the night and they were the only ones there. He assumed that Daniel was talking to him but he could really be speaking to himself.

"Her name was Sha're and she was beautiful. I had been so long away from love. My parents died when I was eight and from then on I had no love. Not true love. Oh, I had made myself believe that it was love but it wasn't. People who love you take you as you are. They don't change you or even try to change you."

"What happened to her?" Ronon asked. When Daniel didn't move, Ronon knew that he was talking to him. He hadn't scared Daniel when he had spoken. That meant that Daniel knew that he was there.

"We were on Abydos, the first planet that we discovered when we opened the 'gate. I wasn't happy with life. I wanted to explore. I unburied the 'gate. The Goa'uld came through and took her and her brother, Ska'ara. The Goa'uld made her a host, the consort and wife of our biggest enemy at the time. For three years, I searched for her. It was my every waking thought. She was the center of my universe, even though she hadn't been while she was by my side. I was obsessed with saving her. To show her that I loved her and to prove to everyone else that I loved her and she loved me."

Daniel paused and Ronon didn't say anything. Sighing, Daniel turned to face him. Ronon could see where Daniel had been crying.

"She died by Teal'c's hand while her Goa'uld was trying to kill me. I forgave him long ago. He understood something that I did not. Sha're could not have lived if she, even hosting a Goa'uld, had killed me and she lived. While I loved her, still she had not been with me in three years. I could live without her. I had been living without her. He also saved the life of a man that had been his friend over someone that he didn't know."

"He chose as any friend would. Your pain at losing her was not as great as her pain would have been had she killed you. It was the lesser of two evils as McKay often says."

"Yes. She also gave me memories and dreams. I was able to get my anger and grief straightened in my head long before coming back to work. It was a different experience. I surrounded myself with my friends and they became my life."

"You've never lived for yourself, have you?" Ronon stepped closer but still stayed back. Daniel hadn't made any motions that meant that he wanted to be touched. Daniel was so finicky about being touched. He didn't like being touched when he was upset. Ronon had heard the talk about the SGC. O'Neill used to be the only one who he would allow to touch him. Carter and Teal'c followed and then some others but everyone else knew not to touch.

"Not until I came aboard this ship. Yes, I am striving to save the world and the galaxy but I am also living how I want to. I could have walked away. I could have told them no Ronon and they would have sent me back human and weak with no way to fix this. I had a choice and I chose this. This test is my own cross to bear. I can see the heavens but I can still hear the flames calling out my name. I can see the writing on the wall. I can't ignore this war. At the end of it all, who am I living for?"

"Yourself."

"For the first time in my life, yes. I do everything that pleases me and I don't care about anyone else's feelings at all."

"Some would say that makes you dangerous, but I know you. You might not care about their feelings but you care about their lives, otherwise you would have just let us all come here without you."

"At the end of it all, I won't be back. When we have fought all of our wars, the Earth will be changed and I won't be happy to live there. I will go back to where the warrior we find is from."

"So after this I will never see you again?" Ronon asked as he stepped closer to Daniel, again. Daniel just watched him but didn't stop him either.

"Why do you never call me Daniel?" Daniel asked as Ronon stopped just inches from his chest. "You don't want to call me Jackson anymore but you just never call me anything."

"You have never asked me to. I am too familiar with you to call you Jackson, but you have not given me permission to use your given name. I am sure that you understand. It’s cultural." Ronon laughed as he spoke. He was sure that his breath ghosted over Daniel’s face in a mockery of a touch.

"Call me Daniel."

Ronon nodded and cupped Daniel's face. He gave Daniel plenty of time to stop him as he moved their faces closer together. The kiss he placed on Daniel's lips was soft and easy. It lasted tens of seconds and only stopped because Daniel gasped and bent over clutching his head. Ronon not knowing what to do, he just grabbed Daniel to hold him up. When Daniel straightened, his eyes were completely white. Ronon touched his ear piece. He had heard McKay talk of when he had seen Daniel with white eyes. He knew what it meant.

"Sheppard, McKay, 'gate room now. Alone." Ronon stepped in front of Daniel and forced him to look at him. Daniel's white eyes focused on something that Ronon couldn’t see. It was only about a minute before both Sheppard and McKay entered the room.

"What's up?" Sheppard asked. Ronon just pointed at Daniel and stepped back. McKay was the first to reach him.

"What happened?"

"We were talking and he gasped and bent over then when he straightened up his eyes were like that. He's looking at nothing and hasn't said a word. I called you at once."

"What were you talking about?" McKay asked as he checked Daniel over for injuries and checked his overall health status.

"His wife and about living for oneself instead of others."

All three looked at Daniel for a few seconds before making a decision about what to do. McKay snapped his fingers in front of Daniel and was rewarded with Daniel's eyes turning back to normal and focusing on him.

"Appropinquis"

"Rodney?"

"It's Ancient. Roughly it means that 'they come' or 'they draw near'."

"Who?"

"Foedus."

"Alliance. I think that he means the Lucian Alliance is on their way." Rodney touched Daniel's face and sighed in frustration. Daniel's features softened but then he started to collapse. Ronon caught him easily and picked him up to cradle him against his chest. "Take him to your rooms. I think that he had a full vision and his body is not used to them. We can discuss it in the morning. He may or may not remember what he saw. Let's all get some sleep."

Ronon carried him to the apartment that they shared. Radek was sitting on a chair, looking at one of Daniel's books on the Ancients, and aware that something had happened.

"What?"

"They are coming."

"Hovno."

"Yeah." Ronon laid Daniel down on the bed and covered him up. Ronon moved to a chair in the living room and picked up Daniel's computer and opened it up. Radek joined him in a few seconds.

"What are you doing?"

"Starting some music. I don't want the music over the speakers of the ship. It doesn't sound right."

"How?"

"He gave me an account. I can access the music."

"Rodney tried to hack the computer but didn't get past the passwords."

"Should have asked me."

"Yes, he should have."

"You should sleep. We have much to do to prepare."

"Night." Radek nodded and stood up to leave. Everyone knew that Daniel believed they would come but it was in the future. That future was now, and it was scaring Ronon. He wasn't used to dealing with those who could see the future. Daniel was a conundrum. He was so strong but so weak at the same time and he was going to kill himself fighting things that happen to stop them from happening. Ronon was going to make sure that it didn't happen.

xXxXxXx

Daniel was sitting on his bed the next morning alone when John and Rodney entered the room. Radek and Ronon were sitting on a few chairs looking at the computer in Ronon's lap.

"Two days. They will come aboard at midnight. They think that with the information that Telford has given them, they will overwhelm us. We will need bait."

"Bait?" Rodney asked. "Why can't we just space them when they get on the ship?"

"Because they need to know that they are beaten. They need to feel fear so that they never again try and reach for things that are not theirs." Daniel looked at those in the room. Rodney was almost sure that he saw fire in Daniel's eyes.

"Are we ready?" John queried in a soft voice. He didn't want to speak any louder and break the moment. He could see why some of the people at the SGC would follow Daniel anywhere. Daniel could have made a pacifist take up arms and fight. He was glad that Daniel was on their side.

"Yes."

xXxXxXx

Daniel smiled. T.J. was in the 'gate room. She was waiting for the Lucian Alliance to arrive. She was obviously pregnant and the least likely to be killed on sight by the Alliance. All the civilians and military personnel not participating in the operation were on the part of the ship farthest from the 'gate room. John, Rodney, T.J., Ronon, Young, Greer, and he were the only ones running around.

Everyone's eyes jerked to the screen as the 'gate lit up.

"Ready?" John asked.

"Go, T.J.," Daniel said into his radio. T.J. nodded on the screen and drew up her P-90. The second a person exited the wormhole, she ducked down behind the blast shield erected in the 'gate room. Then she started firing through the hole. Four were dead in a few minutes and then a group of five came through the 'gate. She fired off shots at the two closest to her, wounding one in the shoulder and the other in the knee. When the numbers became great in the room, T.J. put her arms in the air with the P-90 in one.

"Raise up!" someone yelled and T.J. stood up so that they could see her better. She stood there while the rest of the Lucian Alliance filed into the room. The last one through was a woman. She turned and looked at the 'gate, acting like she was waiting for some more people to come through. The 'gate shut down quickly and Kiva looked at the other people in the 'gate room. Daniel knew who she was.

"I am Kiva and you are now my prisoner. Is there anyone else in here?"

"No one. I couldn't sleep and was wandering the ship."

"Alone and pregnant?"

"There are only about twenty of us left. We guard the 'gate room only by remote monitoring. They know you are here."

"Then they know we have you." Kiva stepped up to T.J. and took the gun from her. Then she looked around and watched as her two injured men were seen to. "Give me your radio."

T.J. pulled the radio from her vest and handed it to Kiva. T.J. knew what she was allowed to say and so far Kiva wasn't any the wiser that she was being played. T.J. allowed herself a small smile.

"This is Commander Kiva. This ship is now under my control. I demand to know why the 'gate was shut down and what happened to my men on the other side."

Daniel look at John and they both nodded to Young who then raised a radio to his mouth.

"This is Young. I do not know what happened to your men. What are your demands?"

"Why should I demand anything? This whole ship is now mine. I outnumber you."

"You would rather have us surrender than have to kill us and if you don't give us T.J. back that is what will happen. I will trade you medical supplies for your hurt men for her."

Daniel picked up a backpack at his feet and slung it over his shoulder. Ronon and Greer followed him as he exited the room. He was going to the area where they would do the swap of T.J. for the supplies. Ronon and Greer stopped outside a set of doors but Daniel went two steps into the room and waited for the doors to shut behind him. Once they were shut, he set down the pack and waited. He listened to the chatter over the radio and when the plans were finalized, he pulled a gun from his holster and set it down so that people in front of him could not see it but T.J. would be able to when she was on this side of the room.

Daniel waited.

xXxXxXx

 

Kiva opened the door and found just a single man standing in her way. It was Jackson. She wasn't sure how he had gotten there but there he was, standing there with no weapons drawn. At his feet were the supplies needed to save her men. Daniel kicked the supplies out into the middle of the corridor.

"Why did they send you?"

"Because I wouldn't let them send anybody else. I am offering you a onetime deal, Kiva. Let T.J. go and your men won't die."

"You and what army?" Kiva looked at Daniel like he was crazy.

"No army. Just me. Haven't you heard the stories, Kiva. About me? I do miraculous things." Daniel waved his hand theatrically in the air just to show her that he was a little odd. He wanted to keep her on her toes so that she wouldn't be expecting what was coming.

"You are just a human, Jackson. You can't do anything. I am Kiva and this is now my ship. Just surrender and get it over with. There is no way that you can overpower my might. Your little woman has told me everything that I need to know about this ship. Of course she didn't tell me about you but that doesn't matter. Do your people surrender?"

Daniel didn't answer; he just smiled and then the ship’s power went out. Daniel reached out and pulled T.J. towards him as he flipped a switch in the control center. The air was being sucked out of the ‘gate room. He waited for the lights to turn back on. T.J. was behind him, safe with the pistol that Daniel had set down in her hands.

When the lights finally flicked back on what seemed like seconds later, Kiva had a gun trained on Daniel. Daniel didn't react at all. He knew that she would have a gun out. He was prepared for it.

"What was that?"

"Your entire team, dying. Just like the ones who didn't step through the 'gate. Your entire Lucian Alliance team is now dead." Daniel gave a dry laugh at the look on her face.

"Impossible."

"I removed all the air from the gateroom, Kiva."

Kiva didn't answer; instead she started to fire at Daniel. She emptied her clip before she stopped firing. Daniel was standing with one hand raised in front of him and all the bullets stopped three feet away.

"How?"

"I am going to rip the Lucian Alliance apart and it starts with you." Kiva's gun flew out of her hand and onto the floor several feet in front of her. She moved to pick it up and found that she couldn't move. Her feet were stuck to the ground. She watched as the door behind Daniel opened and two men stepped in. T.J. stood up and Greer helped her out of the room. Ronon moved towards her with a set of cuffs in his hand. He bound her hands behind her back and then her feet freed themselves from the ground. When she looked up, Daniel was gone.

xXxXxXx

Daniel was in the 'gate room just staring at the 'gate. The visions were coming faster and faster and they all spoke of a flood. Daniel still wasn't sure of what kind of flood it could be. They were on a ship and there wasn't enough water on the ship to flood above a foot. They had survived the encounter with the Lucian Alliance with no lives lost on their end but all the Alliance members were dead except for Kiva.

They hadn't known what they were in for. They hadn't expected being submitted to a vacuum. They had come to the ship with the plans to take from those who were on it and Daniel hadn't been okay with that.

Daniel knew the point at which he had become a killer. It wasn't one choice, but several, over years. It was when his life and the life of his friends became more important than anyone else's, even if they were just ignorant of whom Daniel and his friends were. Daniel stopped fighting for them because when he did, someone got hurt and it wasn't the other people. It also helped that in the beginning his team didn't try to outright kill them; they just tried to wound them. Then the Ori came, and the people of the galaxy started wanting to really kill them. That's when it changed, when the Ori came. Sacrificing a few in the galaxy to rid them of the Ori seemed like a small price to pay for saving the rest of the galaxy.

Killing those of the Lucian Alliance was easy. They were interfering with the lives of everyone in existence for the next million years. Their lives were corrupt and needed to be ended. Daniel wouldn't lose sleep over their lives at all. He spent nights crying a few years ago and he wouldn't do it again. They were not worth it.

Several hours later, Ronon found Daniel in the gym sparring with Greer. There wasn't a word being said at all. That was odd for Daniel. He watched as they sparred. Greer was not able to land any blows. This was an oddity because Greer was always able to land blows. Daniel was focusing his whole mind on sparring and it made it impossible for Greer to hit him.

A cracked echoed through the room and had Ronon running to Daniel. Greer landed on the floor in a heap from where Daniel's foot had connected with his legs. Greer started laughing and Daniel tried to help him up but Ronon didn't give him a chance. Instead, he grabbed Daniel and pulled him into the hall. He didn't stop directing him until they were outside their new quarters.

"You did what was right. They couldn't have the chance to kill us." Ronon watched Daniel pace around the room.

"I know that. I know it all up here." Daniel pointed at his head before he pointed to his heart. "But here. I basically pulled the trigger on forty two people and gave the information that had over a hundred killed before they could leave the base."

"And they would have gladly done the same to you if they had the chance."

"Shut up."

"I won't allow you to do this. I've done some dirty deeds. Their deaths were easy compared to what they could have faced from the Wraith if they had won."

"Ronon."

"Fine." Ronon stalked to where Daniel was still pacing. "I asked nicely before. Now I am going to take." Ronon grabbed Daniel's head and pulled his mouth to his own. Daniel tried to pull back but Ronon didn't let him. After a few seconds of fighting, Daniel gave in and let Ronon take the kiss from him. He didn't let himself get carried away though. "You are mine now. I will protect you with my life."

"I know. I am not oblivious. I just hoped that you would move on."

"Never. You intrigued me from the moment I met you. The words you spoke, I did not understand them but the way you moved. You handled yourself better than some soldiers. I wanted you for your body then. As I watched you and saw what you went through at the SGC. What you allowed them to do to you and you never showed it. You never showed them that they were getting to you. Your strength is so great but you need to learn to let someone else shoulder some of your burdens."

"I can't let you in right yet. I have to do a few more things. I can't be distracted."

"I know that but I won't let anyone else have or harm you."

"If I were in anyway insecure, then I would worry that you thought I couldn't take care of myself."

"I know."

xXxXxXx

They were just leaving the third star when Daniel saw it: a 'gate that looked exactly like the ones in Pegasus. It was beautiful and elegant, not like the ones the Ori had created. Rodney was sitting beside him in the Bridge, practically bouncing out of his seat.

"Just relax."

"We don't have a DHD. How are we supposed to dial the 'gate?" Radek asked.

"We won't have to. The Ancients will, I think. I never see us dialing anything. I just see the 'gate spring to life." Daniel looked at the display on the screen. Two words were on the screen. Daemon insidiari. Daniel smiled. Most would have been scared but he wasn't. Demon's lying in wait did not scare him but it would scare the Wraith when the time came.

John’s gasping made the three stop their talking and look out the window. The 'gate was activating. When it settled, the ship started forward. Daniel waited for the feeling of going through the 'gate. He closed his eyes as he saw the ship in front of him go into the 'gate. When they emerged on the other side, all the sensors went active. Rodney and Radek tried to find any signs of life while Daniel scanned the stars to figure out where they needed to go.

"Daniel?"

"I’m looking, John. I need to find one constellation that I have inputted that the computer knows." The computer made a trilling noise and Daniel looked back down at the screen. "I have the direction."

"Why can't we take shuttles from 'gate to 'gate?" Rodney looked over to Daniel as he spoke.

"Because there are none near where we are going. We are eight hours away from where our Hero is trapped."

"Why are we the ones who save him and not his friends?"

"Because they don't know that he is alive or even where he is."

"Interesting."

John stood up from his seat and stretched a little. "What's the name of the ship we are looking for?"

"Forward Unto Dawn."

xXxXxXx

There was the ship. Daniel was looking out of the observatory and staring at the half broken ship. What they needed was in there. The Hero that would save them from it all with the crew’s help, of course, but still. There was only one essential piece missing. He knew the AI's name and it was only a matter of time before he knew how to get his hands on her. Forward Unto Dawn had been a wonderful ship when she had been whole. Daniel could tell that from the memories he had of watching her in her final battle but all warships are destroyed at some point and she went in a blaze of glory. Her shell now protected the only person alive that could save them.

Docking with the Dawn was a bit of a problem. The front half was missing but after an hour they were able to. There were only three people leaving the ship with Daniel: John, Rodney, and Ronon. After half an hour of searching from the back of the ship they found the section they were looking for.

Daniel looked at the cryo pod and smiled. Written on glass were three words that were written in what looked like black ink. unus unus septum. One one seven. Not one hundred and seventeen, that was another set of words all together but one one seven. He knew that they were in the right place. He touched the surface and said just a few words "Unseal the Hushed Casket."  
The End of Part One-Escape

To Be Continued in Part Two-Salvation


End file.
